Roderic O'Conor

STRUCTURE The sheet has not been laid down; it cockles otherwise appears sound overall. ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT No signs of retouching under UV. FRAME Held in a gilt plaster frame under glass; 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."

Probably painted at Montigny circa 1902, the present work show O'Conor experimenting with the depiction of palpitating sunlight, using vivid colour applied spontaneously in bold striations. As Kenneth McConkey has explained in relation to another work of the same period: "He saw colour pulsating before him in the evening light; it was evoked by uneven saturations of paint; pools from which lines and rhythms emerged in an organic fashion. The painter tried to describe the process in a letter to Armand Seguin the following year, 'I think what you see first of all is the colours round and about you; whereas what charms and takes hold of me is above all else, beautiful lines'" (Kenneth McConkey, A Free Spirit: Irish Art 1860-1960, Antique Collector's Club in association with Pym's Gallery, 1990, p.112).

We are grateful to Jonathan Bennington for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.