ADAM'S Country House Collections Day II - 28th April 2026

76 525 AN EXTREMELY RARE WAX AND PAPIER-MACHÉ MODEL OF DANIEL O’CONNELL AND COUNTRY FOLK, on an oval wooden stand with domed glass cover, 19cms high, 21cms wide, (7 1/2” x 8 3/4”) Approximately four or five of these groups are known, and no two are the same. One example is in the National Museum, Dublin another in University College Dublin, and a third in Der- rynane House, Co. Kerry, the ancestral home of Daniel O’Connell. € 2,000 - 3,000 The Liberator and the Rustics: An Extremely Rare Wax and Papier-Mâché Model of Daniel O’Connell and Country Folk Designed for display beneath a glass dome, the figure group preserves its delicate papi- er-mâché and wax components, materials that are inherently fragile and seldom survive in such condition. Collectors and institutions value these works highly for their rarity, crafts- manship, and historical resonance. Each exam- ple is effectively unique, and as such, these ob- jects occupy a significant position within both artistic and historical study. These figure groups are extremely rare, with only four or five comparable groups known. Recorded examples are held in the National Museum of Ireland, University College Dublin, and Derrynane House, the ancestral home of Daniel O’Connell. The present model stands as an important addition to this small corpus. This model represents a sophisticated example of 19th-century miniature figure artistry, com- bining mixed media to produce a lifelike and narratively rich tableau. It not only commemo- rates O’Connell himself but situates him within a broader depiction of rural Irish life, capturing an idealised interaction between national lead- ership and the people. O’Connell (1775–1847), widely known as “The Liberator,” was a central figure in Irish political history, celebrated for his successful campaign for Catholic Emancipation and his advocacy for parliamentary reform. A native of County Kerry, his image was frequently subject to hostile car- icature in British visual culture, often depicting him in exaggerated or dehumanised terms. In contrast, the present representation humanis- es O’Connell, presenting him as a dignified yet accessible figure, aligned with the people rath- er than elevated above them. This emphasis carries deeper historical reso- nance. O’Connell’s familial and cultural envi- ronment was shaped by the legacy of the Penal Laws and their enduring social consequences. The violent death of his uncle-in-law, Arthur O’Leary (better known as Árt O Laoghaire) in 1773 at the hands of Abraham Morris, High Sheriff of Cork, became emblematic of these tensions and was memorialised (by his wife Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill) in the lament Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoghaire. Such histories inform the symbolic weight of O’Connell’s later political identity and popular reception. The figure group reflects a broader vernacular tradition in which political figures were translated into accessible, three-dimensional forms. Unlike formal oil portraiture, which emphasises permanence and elite patronage, the use of papier-mâché and wax introduces imme- diacy and intimacy. These materials, associated with 19th-century craft practices, allowed for relatively wide production while retaining a capacity for fine detail and expressive modelling. The work sits at the intersection of fine art and folk prac- tice. Its scale and material distinguish it from academic sculpture in marble or bronze, yet its commemorative intent aligns with the same impulse to memorialise and respect. The tactile qualities of wax, combined with the structural lightness of papier-mâché, produce a surface that is both delicate and visually engaging, capturing light in a manner distinct frommore conventional sculp- tural media. Such objects must also be understood within the wid- er transformation of political culture in early 19th-cen- tury Ireland. Following Catholic Emancipation in 1829, O’Connell’s mass political movement generated an un- precedented demand for visual representations. In the absence of photography- portraits, prints, and sculp- tural effigies became essential tools for disseminating political identity across both urban and rural contexts. Papier-mâché and wax figures, due to their rel- ative affordability, enabled this imagery to cir- culate beyond elite networks and into domestic and communal spaces. These works functioned not merely as decora- tive artefacts but as active expressions of polit- ical allegiance. Displayed in homes, taverns, and meeting places, they reinforced O’Connell’s sym- bolic presence and contributed to a shared visu- al language of nationalism. Their often hand-fin- ished surfaces and subtle variations further blur the boundaries between serial production and individual craftsmanship, complicating tradi- tional distinctions between high art and popular culture. Today, the survival of such fragile works under- scores their dual importance as historical doc- uments and material expressions of collective sentiment. The present figure group offers a rare and compelling insight into how O’Connell’s im- age was integrated into everyday life, embodying both the personality of the man and the aspira- tions of the society he mobilised. Ultimately, this papier-mâché and wax figure group stands as a testament to the enduring resonance of O’Connell’s legacy. It bridges the divide between elite and popular expression, transforming a national political figure into a tangible, intimate presence, and preserving, in fragile materials, a powerful moment in Ireland’s cultural and political history.