45
Important Irish Art
,
wednesday 4th December 2013 at 6pm
24
Gabriel Hayes (1909-1978)
Peonies in Pewter Mug
Oil on canvas, 61 x 51cm (24 x 20”)
Signed
Exhibited:
A Private Collection
,The Frederick Gallery, December
1999, where purchased by current owner.
Gabriel Hayes was born in Kildare and spent time travelling and
studying in the USA and France before returning to Ireland and en-
tering the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art. She is best remem-
bered for her wonderful sculpture panels on the Department of
Industry on Kildare Street which she worked on in situ, 23 metres
from ground level suspended in a wooden cage.These sculptures are
generally symbolic, representing themes connected with industry
and commerce in general, but there are also some heads, one rep-
resenting St Brendan as personifying navigation and another ‘Eire’
over the main entrance.
From 1957, she began the life size Stations of the Cross for Galway
Cathedral which took her twelve years to complete. During this
time she also made designs for the new decimal coins and a series
of medals.
She worked in bronze, limestone and Portland stone but, although
there are few examples, this work shows that she was extremely
adept at painting with oils too. Here she skilfully captures the ef-
fects of sunlight on the hard reflective surface of the jug and tray,
contrasted elegantly with the soft full blooms.
€1,500 - 2,500
