Robert Henri 1865-1929

Bernard Danenberg Galleries, New York (sold: Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, September 24, 1970, lot 143, illustrated)
Private collection, acquired at the above sale

New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Henri Memorial Exhibition, 1931, no. 57

William Yarrow and Louis Bouche, Robert Henri: His Life and Works, New York, 1921, pp. 60-61, illustrated
Nathaniel Pousette-Dart, Robert Henri, New York, 1922, illustrated

Generally good condition; unlined; some abrasion in background, under UV: some minor retouches in upper left corner.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In 1913 and then again during the late 1920s Robert Henri and his wife Marjorie made several visits to Ireland's scenic western coast. They lived on Achill Island and visited rugged Connemara, a rural peninsular region in County Galway that extends out into the rough Atlantic Ocean. Henri painted portraits of the local children in both places, completing Mary of Connemara on his first trip in 1913, noting that "the Irish peasant [had] nobility of language and facial expression." The artist and his wife had no trouble finding willing models as the couple fed the children, entertained them with music from their Victrola, and paid the young sitters for their time. Regarding Henri's juvenile models, John Sloan recalled: "If one has a love of children as human beings, and realizes the greatness that is in them, no better subjects for painting can be found. The majority of people patronize children, look down on them rather than up to them, think they are 'sweet,' when in reality it is children that have not yet been buried under the masses of little habits, conventions and details which burden most grown-ups" (Robert Henri and His Circle, Ithaca, 1969, p. 207).