70
55
Tony O’Malley HRHA (1913-2003)
Studio (1981)
Oil on board, 61 x 91.5cn (36 x 24”)
Signed with initials and inscribed ‘Studio’. Signed again twice, inscribed with title and dated 1981
verso
Provenance: From the Collection of George and Maura McClelland and on loan from them to IMMA
from 1999-2004; Private Collection, Dublin
Tony O’Malley came late to painting after a career in banking, and was in his late 60’s and living
in St Ives when George McClelland first became aware of him, prompted by fellow artist F.E.
McWilliam. When they first met, O’Malley was not particularly successful, despite having painted
and exhibited for thirty years, but McClelland determined to change this. He relentlessly promoted
the artist between 1980 and 1983, with the result that O’Malley went from being virtually unknown
in his homeland to being given an Arts Council of Ireland Travelling Exhibition and having his
work in important public collections such as the Bank of Ireland, within a few years. A major ret-
rospective in Dublin, Cork and Belfast in 1984 cemented his place within the context of important
Irish painters of the 20
th
century.
In the 1970’s O’Malley married his wife Jane and they spent a lot of time in the Bahamas. Influ-
enced by the light and surroundings, much of his work from this time became more colourful and
vibrant, moving away from the more sombre tones of his work in the 1950s and ‘60s.
In 1990 he and his wife moved back to Ireland and in 1993 he was elected a Saoi of Aosdána.
When he died in 2003 he was regarded as one of Ireland’s leading painters, due in no small part to
the influence and support of George McClelland.The Irish Museum of Modern Art held a major
retrospective of his work in 2005.
€7,000 - 10,000
