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103 William John Hennessy (1839-1917)
The Enchanted Lake
Oil on canvas, 138 x 76cm (54¼ x 30”)
Provenance: By descent in the artist’s family
William John Hennessy was born inThomastown, Co. Kilkenny
but moved to the United States when he was only ten, following
his father who had fled Ireland due to his participation in the
Young Irelander’s uprising. He studied at the National Academy
of Design in New York and quickly achieved recognition. How-
ever, in 1870 Hennessy and his wife moved to England. It was
in France, particularly the Calvados region of Normandy where
Hennessy acquired much of his inspiration, spending each sum-
mer there. In 1875 he moved to France, renting a manor on the
coast near Honfleur. He produced iconic works such as ‘’Fete
Day in a Cider Orchard, Normandy, which is in the Ulster Mu-
seum Collection. Hugh Lane included Hennessy in the 1904
exhibition of Irish Painters at the Guildhall London, where he
exhibited ‘’Twixt Day and Night, Calvados’
€2,000 - 4,000