While it’s commonly stated that possessing small amounts of knowledge can be precarious, leading people to mistakenly believe they have expertise, it’s nonetheless rewarding to expand one’s understanding in particular topics. For instance, acquiring insights into art history can enhance buyers’ comprehension of the era, context and worth of potential acquisitions.
For those interested in landscape art from the 18th to the 21st centuries, knowing the prevalent styles of each period can boost the satisfaction derived from viewing and choosing pieces at auctions. It’s notable that the inception of landscape painting in Europe is attributed to Albrecht Altdorfer, a 16th-century German artist. Preceding his era, landscapes merely served as backgrounds for human figures in artworks.
In the 17th century, topographical views were the focus, mainly delivered by engravers and cartographers. However, in the early 18th century, landed gentry started to order paintings of their gardens, green spaces, hunting scenarios, neighbourhood picturesque venues and family pictures in landscape backgrounds.
It’s interesting to note that during this period, Irish landscape artists were inspired by the Dutch and Flemish landscape techniques, together with the English, French and Italian styles which were popular among their benefactors who had been touring Europe.
During the 18th century, when Dublin was the second most important city in the British empire, artists would journey to Ireland to paint. Pioneers like Thomas Roberts (1748-1777), deemed one of the first 18th-century Irish landscape artists, traditionally painted outdoors, with Killarney lakes being the prime location for those seeking to capture untamed Irish landscapes.
Dr. Louise Kelly, in her catalogue for the Untitled Landscape art exhibition coordinated by the Department of Finance and the Office of Public Works in 2018-2019, elaborates on the 19th-century decline in landscape art patronage due to war and famine. This led some artists to paint everyday life scenarios in a picture-esque style. She further iterates that with the establishment of the independent Irish State in 1922, artists began depicting the Irish countryside, specifically the west, fostering a new Irish identity. This era saw a shift from idyllic scenes to more realistic ones.
In the 1940s, Irish artists embraced the modernistic wave, experimenting with multiple art forms, such as surrealism, abstractionism, cubism, and expressionism, often featuring landscapes in their works. As the 20th century neared its end, some of them used their artworks to reflect a decaying urban and rural world or human suffering outdoors, striving to make political statements. In addition, environmental and biodiversity issues have sparked an array of artistic interpretations in recent decades. Nonetheless, there are artists who still depict the allure of landscapes in their art, providing realistic portrayals or creating abstract representations which invite the viewer’s interpretation.
The Chatsworth Summer Art Auction will be available at the Fonsie Mealy auction house, located on Chatsworth Street in Castlecomer, County Kilkenny, on July 10th. Offering more than 300 lots and beginning with estimates at merely €40, this annual art sale includes an extensive collection of landscape paintings ranging from the 18th to the 21st century. The auction house, which was established in 1934 by George Mealy, caters to collectors of all types. “We offer pieces ideal for novice collectors as well as those looking to expand into more abstract works,” remarks George Mealy, the current owner.
Among the works available is a romantic 18th-century landscape by Thomas Sautelle Roberts, a Waterford-based artist ($5,000-$7,000), and a painting by English painter George Morland dating back to the same century, depicting a mother and child washing clothes in a forest backdrop (€180-€220). There are modern options too such as Fergus O’Ryan’s The Mill Pond, a 20th-century piece (€800-€1,200), and Edith Somerville’s Bourget en Lac, Aix-Les-Bains (€350-€420). Also, for individuals who admire Paul Henry, a highly coveted 20th-century Irish landscape artist, but lack the budget, a framed poster commissioned by the London Midland and Scottish Travel Company featuring one of his designs is a wonderful option.
Mealy’s is offering three choices: an option from Lough Derg, Sheephaven in County Donegal (£220-£280 each), and Mount Errigal (£220-£310), all adorned with the slogan “Donegal, Ireland for Holidays”. In other news, artwork by Grace Henry from Scotland, wife of Paul Henry, features Achill Island (£7,000-£12,300) and James Humbert Craig of Belfast has contributed Gathering Turf (£4,400-£7,000) among an extensive array of Irish, European, and Oriental art. This formidable collection will be part of the Sheppard’s house contents sale at St Austin’s, Coolgreaney, Gorey, County Wexford, on the 16th and 17th of July. The property recently went under the hammer for a hefty sum exceeding £1.46 million; it was previously occupied by Alan and Anne Deacon, who spent a significant portion of their lives residing in the Far East.
On a related note, Ross’s auction house reported the sale of an 18ct white gold and diamond bracelet, which was expected to fetch between £18,000 – £20,000, though it eventually sold for £19,500. Bonham’s auction house recently saw the sale of a portrait of Henry Whitworth by William Orpen, with the hammer price standing at £25,600, surpassing the estimated value of £20,000-£30,000 (€23,600-€35,500). Adam’s auction house recently sold a pair of early 20th-century aquamarine and diamond earrings for €7,000, a figure significantly higher than the anticipated price range of €4,000-€5,000. Additionally, another highlight at the Adam’s auction was an emerald and diamond bracelet, which drastically outperformed its estimated sale price of €800-€1,200, fetching a final sale price of €4,400.