Famous artist’s widow donates painting to care home

The widow of a famous artist, whose work features in the British royal family collection, has donated one of his paintings to an Irish care home where he spent his final days.

Ben Maile’s widow, Carrie, said she wanted to donate a signed painting of a Greek island, where the couple holidayed, to the team at Glyntown Care Centre in Cork to thank them for the care they showed him in the weeks and months before his death. Mr Maile, who spent most of his life in Cornwall, lived at the home near Glanmire from last September until his death there in February. He was 94.

Director of Nursing, Majella Cussen, said they remember him fondly and were honoured by Carrie’s gesture.

“Ben was such a modest and gently-spoken man. We were delighted to care for him,” she said.

“And now that he is gone to his eternal reward, we are delighted with this opportunity to remember him.

“This painting will always be a reminder to us of his talent and of his love of the simple things in life.”

The canvas will be hung in the home’s library.

Mr Maile was known internationally for his impressionistic and atmospheric military studies — mostly oil on canvas — which have been exhibited all over the world.

He relied on the mood of the painting, rather than historical accuracy, to convey the power of the work. One of his famous early works, ‘The Thin Red Line’, led to a commission from the famous West Point military academy in the US to produce The Long Grey Line, prints of which are now amongst the most highly sought-after limited edition prints in the US military collectors’ market.

He was the only British artist to ever win the prestigious annual commission from the famous American military academy.

He worked with Prince Charles to produce paintings of Henry VIII’s warship, Mary Rose, after her sunken remains were discovered in muddy silt off Portsmouth.

The Confederation of British Industries engaged him when they wanted a visual and written record of the key industries which fired the British economy — including coal mining, shipbuilding, and atomic energy — which featured in the book, Enterprise on Canvas, which he produced.

His work was also much sought after by global corporations, including oil giant, British Petroleum, who commissioned him several times to produce canvases of North Sea oil production platforms. He also painted scenes of oil exploration in Alaska.

His work today is in several private collections, and in galleries and museums around the world.

He settled in the west of Ireland several years ago and painted the famous Battle of Aughrim, and his commission, The Irish Soldier Through The Ages, hangs in a lounge area of the officer’s mess in the Military College at the Curragh.

Caroline Horgan, the activities coordinator at Glyntown Care Centre, said during his time at the home, he was delighted to share his talent and expertise, and worked on several projects with art students from local schools, and even presented them with some of his books.

“The children were in awe of him. He was a complete and utter gentleman. He was a great character, kind, caring, and funny and we are thrilled with this presentation,” she said.