Lot 292
  • 292

Gerard Dillon, R.H.A., R.U.A.

Estimate
40,000 - 60,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Gerard Dillon, R.H.A., R.U.A.
  • The Fish Eaters
  • signed l.r.: GDillon
  • oil on board
  • 43 by 54cm., 17 by 21¼in.

Provenance

C.E.M.A. Collection, Tyrone House;
Arts Council of Northern Ireland;
Sotheby's, London, 24 November 1993, lot 29;
Sotheby's, London, 13 May 2005, lot 97, where purchased by the present owner

Exhibited

Dublin, Gallery of Modern Art, Gerard Dillon Retrospective, 1973, no.24

Literature

S.B.Kennedy, Irish Art & Modernism 1880-1950, 1991, illustrated p.141

Condition

The board appears sound and the work in good overall condition; clean and ready to hang. Ultraviolet light reveals a small spot on the shoulder of the right hand figure, and one by the mug of this figure. Held in a wooden frame.
"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."

Catalogue Note

Gerard Dillon first visited Connemara in 1939 and was immediately captivated by the West country landscape and the apparent simplicity of the lives led by the Connemara farmers, villagers and fishermen, which contrasted dramatically with his upbringing in Belfast.  The landscapes and people of Connemara came to represent his notion of Ireland in its most idealised form. In The Fish Eaters, painted in 1946, it appears that he has even gone so far as to locate himself within this ideal in the guise of the character seated in the top right corner with orange sleeves and a long moustache. 

Dillon's idyllized vision is emphasized by the simple contours and flattened perspective of the present work. They reflect his increasing interest in the stylized forms depicted in ancient Irish stonecarvings such as the Celtic crosses at Monasterboice which incorporate smaller scenes of people into their overall design. In the present workDillon combines this inspiration with bold yet simple colouring reminiscent of illustrations in Medieval manuscripts. As such, in harking back to Celtic tradition whilst at the same time fresh with a modernist reduction of form and perspective, The Fish Eaters exemplifies Dillon's vision of an ideal Ireland, past, present and future.