Jack B. Yeats, R.H.A.

including The River Steps, an illustration for Ernest Rhys’ ‘The Great Cockney Tragedy,’ 1891, pen and ink with wash; two small sketches inscribed With love from/ Uncle Jack, pen and ink; one watercolour of a Hunting scene signed and dated l.r.: Jack B Yeats/1889; A Merry Christmas, pen and ink and watercolour on card; Mr Broadside Subscriber, pen and ink cartoon

Hilary Pyle, Jack B. Yeats, His Cartoons and Illustrations, Irish Academic Press, 1994, no.1287, p.177 (The Great Cockney Tragedy)

The River Steps: 23 by 16.5cm., 9 by 6½in. The sheet is laid to card. Some residue along edges from where an old mount appears to have been taken off. Otherwise sound overall. Unframed. Two small sketches: each 18 by 13.5cm., 7 by 5¼in. Both sheets appear sound. Both with old adhesive market along upper edge; otherwise in good overall condition. Unframed. Hunting: 10 by 13.5cm., 4 by 5¼in. Card appears sound. 2 artist pin holes near centre of top edge. Slighly discoloured otherwise appears in good overall condition. Unframed. Merry Christmas: 13 by 18cm., 5 by 7in. The card appears sound. Slightly worn to edges and a little dirty; otherwise appears in good overall condition. Unframed. 'Mr Broadside Subscriber'': 16 by 18cm., 6¼ by 7in. The sheet has fold marks, pin holes in each corner and small tear lower right. Some creases and discloured. Genearlly sound. Unframed.
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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 pen and ink for Ernest Rhys' The Great Cockney Tragedy belongs to a group of eight works Jack B. Yeats made and are the first examples of Yeats as a book illustrator, dating to c.1890. W.B. Yeats was impressed with the illustrations, writing to W. E. Henley on 4 September 1891, 'The drawings seem to me to have a very genuine tragic intensity that makes them something much more than caricatures'.