Adams Important Irish Art 2nd December 2015 : You can Download a PDF Version from the Bottom Menu Down Arrow Icon

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Still Life Study with Fruit and Pottery c.1917-19
Oil on canvas, 55 x 65cm (21½ x 25½”)
Stamped with atelier mark verso on canvas and stretcher
Provenance: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, Vente O’Conor 7th February 1956.
Exhibited: “Roderic O’Conor” Exhibition Musée de Pont-Aven June - September 1984 catalogue
no. 43; “Roderic O’Conor - Shades of a Master” Exhibition June-August 2003 The
Hunt Museum, Limerick, catalogue no. 16
Literature: “O’Conor” Pont-Aven 1984 illustrated p44, “Roderic O’Conor” by Jonathan Benington
1992 catalogue Raissonne no. 213. Full page colour illustrated fig 58
O’Conor’s return to Paris in 1904 marks a new phase in his oeuvre with a much higher propor-
tion of still life paintings, flowerpieces and female portraits, in terms of subject matter, and
moving from a strongly experimental approach to one of a more traditional nature, in terms
of style. The setting of the still life close to his studio window in Montparnasse and the use of
white drapery, recalling Cezanne, are two devices commonly used by O’Conor to illuminate his
works.
O’Connor here leaves aside his usual tormented style, resulting in a peaceful, contemplative
still life. He deliberately choses to gather together several bright/shiny objects, white ceramic,
a dark green vase, a table of waxed wood which strongly contrasts with the warm colours of
the fruit in the basket. In Paris, O’Connor seems to return to a more academic style and paints
numerous still lives, groups, figures, and nudes in his studio. The objects used here appear in
other paintings, dating from 1915, with similar treatment, which allows for the dating of this
period.
€ 30,000 - 50,000