Adam's Important Irish Art 28th September 2022

50 46 RODERIC O’CONOR (1860-1940) Le Marin Barbu (c.1891) Oil on canvas, 54.7 x 46cm (21½ x 18’’) Stamped verso with ‘Atelier O’Conor’ € 60,000 - 80,000 The technique used in this portrait is entirely consistent with Roderic O’Conor’s ‘a la prima’ method of painting, best de- scribed as a wristy, or vigorous, and expressive use of the brush, with drawing and painting fully integrated in the one process. The intensity of the sitter’s gaze is also typical of O’Conor’s portraiture, with the subject looking directly at the artist while the work was in progress. The rugged appearance of this old bearded man suggests that he was most likely a local Pont-Aven fisherman. The Aven is a tidal river that flows through Pont-Aven and gives direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. The light cast from the left highlights the subject’s weathered skin, which O’Conor has captured with bold and loose brush strokes. His use of colour on the face and beard stands out in strong contrast with the dark coat and background, emphasizing the image of a man who has seen a life of hardship and hard labour. The atelier stamp verso confirms that the painting was among the works included in the Drouot dispersal sale in Paris of the contents of O’Conor’s studio, following his death in Neuil-sur-Layon in 1940. Dr. Roy Johnston, August 2022