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Frank McKelvey RHA RUA (1895 - 1974)
Returning Home from School
Oil on canvas laid on board, 35 x 44.5cm (13¾ x 17½”)
Signed
William Moll label verso
Provenance:The Irish Sale, Christie’s, London, May 1997, Lot 80, where purchased by the
current owners under the title ‘The Schoolhouse’
‘His characteristic approach to landscape was to capture the essential visual effect of the
scene...he succeeded brilliantly in capturing the character of the Irish landscape.’ (SB. Ken-
nedy Frank McKelvey-A Painter in his Time, p9). Along with James Humbert Craig, Frank
McKelvey was the leading landscapist of his time in Northern Ireland. The artist is a master
of landscape employing just the right range of compositional elements, provoking a sense of
quietude, harmony and complimenting the entire with an accurately rendered sky. The treat-
ment of light is stunning here and reminiscent of works such as
Fair Day, Camlough, South
Armagh
by the artist, where McKelvey has strategically captured the sunlight to highlight
the principle elements of his composition, namely, the children, the landscape in the middle
ground and the sky above the mountains. The setting is Donegal, with Errigal Mountain in
the left background and it is most likely a view from Creeslough direction. McKelvey spent
time in this area and Dunfanaghy which many of his landscapes depict. He often showed
an ease in capturing children at rest or play in his compositions. Here they are sensitively
rendered appearing natural in their casual after school formations of seated pairs and walk-
ing groups. Although collectively the children’s facial features remain undetailed, this is not
apparent as their attitude and stances are so convincing.There is a clever range of colours em-
ployed in this painting. We acknowledge the familiar greys and muted greens of our habitual
surroundings, the cloud obscuring the top of the mountain on the right, yet this is enlivened
by the high colour of summer that bathes the central portion of the composition in cheerful
swathes. This sense of palpable heat allows the viewer to observe the barefooted children as
sensible and comfortable in their homeward stroll from the schoolhouse on the right. The
overall painting is harmonious, charming and nostalgic.The overall feeling of lightness, fresh
air and the spontaneity of the moment are features which remain characteristic of McKelvey’s
work throughout his career.The even film of paint and naturalistic use of light combine with
the treatment of the figures to express the apparent ease of the artist’s technical ability.’ (SB.
Kennedy, Frank McKelvey-A Painter in his Time, p9). As always in the work of McKelvey
he incorporates the ideal level of detail and his scenes are never complicated by overworking.
Technically the artist is accomplished and confident affording his paintings an aesthetic co-
herence that is most pleasing and seldom accomplished in Irish landscape to such an extent as
in this artist’s most successful compositions.
Marianne O’Kane-Boal
€6,000 - 8,000
