Sotheby’s Irish art sale expects to make €1.15m

The 33 works of Irish art on offer at Sotheby’s in London on May 22 should generate more than €1.15 million.

The top Irish lot is William Orpen’s portrait of Mrs Oscar Lewishon, illustrated on these pages last week, which is estimated at up to £180,000. William Scott’s Quiet Ochre painted in 1973 makes its first appearance on the auction market estimated at £100,000-€150,000.

A highly finished drawing from 1910 by Orpen, Life Class on the Beach, has an estimate of £80,000-£120,000. It shows a group of students on a summer’s day at Portmarnock about to start drawing a girl.

The Irish section of the sale opens with three works by Letitia Marion Hamilton headed by a view of Wicklow Point-to-Point Races estimated at £15,000-€25,000.

The Morning Ride by Sir John Lavery is estimated at £100,000-£150,000 and Man Hearing and Old Song by Jack B Yeats has an estimate of £40,000-£60,000.

Paul Henry’s Landscape c1929-30, thought to be a Wicklow view, is estimated at £25,000-£35,000 while Gerard Dillon’s Cleaning the Boat depicting Roundstone Harbour, is estimated at £30,000-£50,000.

Two Trees by Basil Blackshaw is estimated at £25,000-£35,000 and Two Elements by Mainie Jellett is estimated at £15,000-£25,000. Uccello, a tapestry by Louis le Brocquy has an estimate of £30,000-£50,000.

These works will be on view at Sotheby’s, Molesworth St, Dublin for four days from next Thursday (May 8).

Viewing times are from 10 am to 5.30pm on Thursday and Friday, from 10 am to 4pm on this day week and on Sunday May 11.