ADAM'S IMPORTANT IRISH ART 25 MARCH 2026

18 7 MARY SWANZY HRHA (1882-1978) Cathedral, Semur Oil on canvas, 45 x 53.5cm (17¾ x 21’’) Signed, titled on paper label verso Provenance: with Eakin Gallery, Belfast, label verso € 20,000 - 30,000 Semur-en-Auxois in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comte region is a French medieval city built on an outcrop of pink granite formations encircled by the Armançon river. It is dominated architecturally by ramparts and towers and known for its famous 14th century Gothic cathedral Notre Dame du Semur. Swanzy travelled extensively through France, drawn particularly to the south of the country in areas of Grasse and Nimes. In this work as in others of the period, we can see the clear influence of Cezanne in the colour scheme and the handling of perspec- tive. Though not in her fully abstract style yet, there are elements of it in the volumetric arrangement of the composition. It draws visual comparisons also with works by Georges Braque, such as House at L’Estaque , 1908 (Museum of Fine Arts, Bern) who in turn was also influenced by Cezanne. In both works the buildings are positioned close together, almost appearing to sit one on top of the other as the viewpoint rises upwards. Both use strong geometric forms, the points of the roofs directing us towards the hilltop and in Swanzy’s work mirrored in the an- gular gothic architecture of the cathedral. Everything in the work moves towards the cathedral which is elevated above the medieval town centre. The road sweeps up to the left through rows of houses and buildings with their distinctive terracotta tiled roofs. The Pinard bridge is positioned in the mid ground, with the river flowing under its double arch, its banks lined with verdant grassland. The spire of the cathedral rises up towards the cloud filled sky its top cut off by the horizon line, disappearing out of view. Swanzy would later fully embrace the cubist form in another work believed to be depicting the same town of Semur-en-Auxois entitled The Storm (sold, these rooms, 22nd November 2017, lot 11). In that work the architecture of the town has been trans- formed into swirling vortexes overlaid with a geomet- ric prism of light and colour. Niamh Corcoran, March 2026