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78A ALOYSIUS O’KELLY (1853-1936)Fishing Boats at Concarneau
Oil on board, 23 x 30.5cm (9 x 12’’)
Signed
Aloysius O’Kelly was born in Dublin but moved to London at a young age. In 1874 he became one of the first Irish artists to study at the
École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he received his training from Orientalist painter Jean-Léon Gérome and Léon Bonnall. O’Kelly was
also one of the initial Irish artists to spend time painting in Brittany, where he met Jules Bastien-Lepage.
During the 1880s he was appointed specialist artist to the Illustrated London News, and travelled around Ireland as a political illustra-
tor highlighting the Land League. O’Kelly is possibly best known for his painting depicting Northern African scenes – a popular subject
among European Romantic painters. In an unusual move, O’Kelly emigrated to New York in 1895 and changed his name to Arthur Oak-
ley. Following this he continued to visit and exhibit in France, as well as in Chicago, Milwaukee and New York where he was a member
of the Watercolour Club.
Aloysius O’Kelly first arrived in Brittany in the mid 1870’s as the region and particularly the coastal areas around Pont-Aven and Concar-
neau became increasing popular with artists from around the globe. O’Kelly regularly spent the summer in the area but also appears to
have spent extended periods there in 1877 and 1878. It is however difficult to date these Concarneau paintings and it is quite possible
that the present work comes from the early years of the 20th Century when the artist is known to have spent time working in this
port town. Concarneau was a vibrant fishing port with an extensive sardine fishing fleet and a significant fish processing and canning
industry.
€ 2,000 - 4,000