LILIAN DAVIDSON, A.R.H.A. | Gathering Kelp

Sotheby's, London, 21 May 1998, lot 358, where purchased by the present owners

Possibly Dublin, Royal Hibernian Academy, 1928, no.187 (as Kelp Gatherers)

Original canvas. Some minor traces of craquelure to some of the thicker areas of white pigment in the sea and foreground, only visible upon close inspection. The work appears in good overall condition. Under ultraviolet light there appear to be no signs of retouching. Held under glass in a gilt plaster frame; unexamined out of 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."

The gathering of kelp was a longstanding traditional industry that flourished round the coasts of Ireland, used for its antiseptic properties and the ability to extract iodine from it. It was a seasonal activity that usually began in May in finer weather and would often involve women and children working alongside men. The kelp would be cut from rocks or raked from the surf with kelp hooks or ‘drags’. It would have been a sight familiar to Davidson and in the present painting she depicts three men with a horse and cart going about their work. Heavily influenced by the various styles found in Paris and across the continent during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, Lilian Davidson regularly depicted scenes of native traditions found across Ireland, often including the varied landscapes of her country. During the eighteenth century in Ireland, any form of landscape painting tended to be an extension of portrait painting; depicting wealthy landowners exhibiting their property and land. However, by the following century landscape painting had become a genre in its own right due to the increasing interest in the idea of the picturesque, and by the time Davidson was working, a much more naturalistic approach was taken and precedence given to the rural people working the land. In France, paintings such as Jean-Francois Millet's The Gleaners (1857, Musée d'Orsay) and Jules-Bastien Lepage's Haymaking (1877, Musée d'Orsay) were critical in influencing this new direction at the close of the 19th century.

Born in 1879 in County Wicklow, Davidson first exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1914 and for the next 40 years exhibited 135 works, proving to be one of the most influential female Irish artists of her period. She was influenced by the early painting career of Jack B. Yeats and this is evident here in the delineated approach to the figures. Situating the three figures and horse and cart against the pale sky highlights their forms and strengthens their presence. In tonality, it also recalls the work of Nathaniel Hone and Paul Henry. Using soft, harmonious colours, punctuated with the orange-browns of the kelp and the blue of the cart, it creates a highly atmospheric work which stands as a striking visual record of a tradition now passed.