Roderic O'Conor

T.H.H. Hancock 1965;
Sotheby's, 14 July 1965, lot 77;
Waddington Galleries, London;
Ben Goldstone;
Sotheby's, 25 May 1983, lot 80;
Christie's, 15 March 1985, lot 86;
David Messum, London where purchased by a private collector and thence by descent to the present owner

Belfast, Ulster Museum, Recent acquisitions and loans, 1974, no.19;
David Messum Gallery, Marlow, British Impressions: The Progress of Impressionism 1880-1940, not dated [1986], no. 38

Jonathan Benington, Roderic O'Conor: a biography with a catalogue of his work, 1992, p.206, no.134

STRUCTURE The canvas has been relined; otherwise the work appears in good overall condition ready to hang. ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT UV light reveals an opaque varnish of which some areas appear to flouresce. This is difficult to read conclusively and it would appear to be the artist's work rather than retouchings. FRAME Held in a gilt plaster frame with a canvas inset.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The dramatic lighting and intense colours of this nude, underscored by the artist's deployment of rhythmic contours and a claustrophobic composition, demand that it should be seen in the context of early twentieth century Parisian avant garde re-interpretations of the female form. Rather than placing the model in a domestic interior and catching her at an unguarded moment, here O'Conor has chosen to usurp the well-worn intimiste formula in favour of a more radical approach that owes its allegiance to Toulouse-Lautrec and, quite possibly, Picasso.  O'Conor was a dedicated collector of Toulouse-Lautrec's lithographs, whilst before 1906 he could have seen works by Picasso at the private galleries run by Ambroise Vollard and Clovis Sagot, both of whom were known to him. In O'Conor's painting the model's pose is very similar to that adopted in his well known oil of 1909, Reclining Nude before a Mirror (National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin), in which the model's back is likewise turned towards the viewer, screening her forearms and hands. The back view derives ultimately from Velasquez's Rokeby Venus, however the present work couches the figure in a much more expressionistic idiom. The close viewpoint results in the cropping of the model's feet and the avoidance of any suggestion of a room setting. The brushwork is bolder, the paint being applied for the most part in thick parallel streaks of contrasting tones and colours, enveloping the pallid forms of the nude. At the hands of Picasso or Toulouse-Lautrec such a frankly honest approach would be combined with a malnourished appearance so as to stress the nude model's origins in the Parisian demi-monde. Here, however, O'Conor's bony model radiates above all a keen awareness of structure and mass, accentuated by the strong cross-lighting, without making any direct or indirect reference to her social background.  

We are grateful to Jonathan Benington for this catalogue note.