Roderic O'Conor

Hotel Drouot, Paris, Vente O'Conor, 7 February 1956

Jonathan Beninton, Roderic O'Conor, a Biography with a Catalogue of his Work, Dublin, 1992, no.223

STRUCTURE Original canvas. There is some very faint craquelure in the upper right corner and a minor spot of paint loss. Two smal varnish lines bottom right of the bowl; slightly dirty and should benefit from cleaning, otherwise the work appears in good overall condition. ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT Under UV light there appear to be no signs of retouching. FRAME Held in a gilt plaster 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.
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Executed circa 1919-20, the present work, taken beyond the level of a sketch, has been lightly painted throughout and reveals O'Conor's working methods as he began to build up a painting. The evidence from this work confirms that his preference was to keep preliminary drawing to a minimum and to work tonally with rich colour contrasts in the earliest stages. To achieve this richness of colour O'Conor frequently made use of complementary colours such as red and green, as he does here to good effect in the background drapery. The container for the flowers and the circular tray appear in several other still lifes among the many which he painted in his Paris studio after 1904, following his 13 year association with Brittany.

In the background a few bold brush marks help to define folds and changes of light in the drapery. Some of the flowers to the left have been drawn in with the brush using a thin turpentine wash and have been left unpainted so that the bare canvas shows through. At first glance the foreground fruit appears to be fully executed, but these convincing forms have also been achieved economically with minimal paint application. Although this is little more than a sketch, O'Conor has already achieved a lively and expressive painting. 

Roy Johnston Ph.D.