Rediscovered Henry painting to go on sale

A rediscovered painting by famous Irish artist Paul Henry that was hidden from the public for 80 years is to go under the hammer, it was revealed today.

The work, titled 'The Spotted Shawl', is expected to fetch up to €400,000 when it is uncovered as one of the star attractions in Adam’s Important Irish Art Auction this week in Dublin.

James O’Halloran, of the auction house, said they weren’t aware of the painting’s existence until the unnamed owners brought it in for sale.

“The Paul Henry 'Spotted Shawl', which has been in the same family for over eighty years, was purchased by the present owners’ grandfathers at a Paul Henry exhibition in London in 1921,” he said.

“Up until the time we were given the painting, it was untraced and unidentified, according to Dr Brian Kennedy in his catalogue of the artist.”

Two other paintings by the Belfast-born artist, best known for his depictions of Achill Island, were previously included in his major retrospective at the National Gallery in Dublin in 2003.

“Over the years, Henry’s work has become increasingly sought-after and we expect this particular painting, together with the other two notable works by him, to do very well in this sale,” said Mr O’Halloran.

Also included in Wednesday’s auction is over forty paintings and sculptures from the collection of the late Charlie Hennessy, the renowned Cork-based patron of the arts.

A number of later paintings by Irish art legend, Jack Butler Yeats are also on offer, including 'The Westering Sun', 1950, which could fetch up to €250,000.

It is among a collection of drawings and watercolours by the artist from the estate of the late Michael Butler Yeats, former Senator and MEP, and son of the WB Yeats.

The 250 lot-strong sale could reach up to €5m in total, according to Adams.

“Many paintings have not appeared on the market for thirty or forty years, since they were first purchased, and it is unlikely they will resurface again soon,” said Mr O’Halloran.

“So we encourage buyers with a genuine interest in building their art collections to take this one-off opportunity to invest in this sale, particularly as we have adjusted reserves to reflect a shift in the market.”