Irish Art

S otheby’s has a long-standing expertise in Irish art and a sustained commitment to the development and international recognition of this market. Over several decades, we have played a defining role in introducing Irish painting and sculpture to a global collector base, significantly broadening both interest and demand, and helping to establish Irish art firmly within the international auction landscape.

Over many years, we have held landmark auctions and single-owner collections that have set important benchmarks. Since launching its first London sale dedicated to Irish art in 1995, Sotheby’s has achieved numerous world record prices, including for Travelling Woman with Newspaper by Louis le Brocquy at £1.2 million and Sir William Orpen’s Portrait of Gardenia St. George with Riding Crop which achieved £2 million in 2001, and continues to stand as the record for the artist today.

In recent years we have handled more dedicated single-owner Irish sales than any of our competitors, which have been particularly significant in shaping the category. These include Yeats: The Family Collection in 2017; The Joseph & Brenda Calihan Collection and A Living Legacy, Irish Art from the Brian P. Burns Collection, both in 2018; 44 Fitzwilliam Square: Works from the Estate of the Late Patrick Kelly in 2020; and works from The Collection of Sir Michael Smurfit which have appeared in a number of our auctions in recent years, including a major group of seventeen works offered in 2021.

Together, these landmark sales and record-setting results reflect Sotheby’s enduring leadership in the Irish art market, presenting long-held private collections and rediscovered works that continue to expand the canon and strengthen international appreciation for Irish artists. Today, works by Irish artists are offered in our twice-yearly sales of Modern British & Irish Art in London.