Story of the watercolour artist who put Cork in the picture

Paintings by Lady Kate Dobbin were exhibited in Munster and London. Now six of them are up for auction

A painting by Lady Kate Dobbin of a scene at Ballinacurra, Midleton, with boats outside Bennett’s building estimated at €300-€500.

No fewer than six watercolours by the Cork artist Lady Kate Dobbin (1868-1955) come up at Lynes & Lynes in Carrigtwohill on September 26. Known for landscapes and flower studies and painting mainly in watercolour she exhibited regularly with the Royal Hibernian Academy between 1894 and 1947. 

Born Kate Wise in Briston she moved to Cork in 1887 and met and married tobacco manufacturer and High Sheriff of Cork Alfred Dobbin. She studied drawing and painting at the Crawford in the early 1890s and exhibited regularly at the Watercolour Society of Ireland. Her work was shown at the Munster Fine Art Club and the Fine Art Society in London.