Yesterday's sale of Irish art at Sotheby's in London, which included many paintings from the Jefferson Smurfit collection, generated a total of £4.6 million (€6.85 million).
Of that sum, just over £1.25 million (€1.86 million) was fetched by the Smurfit pictures. The figure reflects a solid enough performance by Irish art at auction, particularly on lower priced lots, rather than any individual spectacular prices.
Some of the pictures by the better known names, including Jack B Yeats, struggled to reach their reserves, but generally vindicated what could be described as realistic estimates. And works by some artists, notably Sir John Lavery and Paul Henry, did exceptionally well, in some instances doubling their pre-sale estimates.
Joanne Doidge-Harrison, Sotheby's specialist in Modern Irish Pictures, was reasonably happy. "I'm really delighted. I was actually able to enjoy the sale. I think £4.6 million is a very good result, up on last year and our best since a high point in 2001. I know some people said it was patchy in parts, particularly in terms of the prices fetched for Yeats and Orpen, but overall I think it was good for Irish art."
She points out that the market has become increasingly competitive and that works by these artists have greatly appreciated in value over recent years. "I was particularly encouraged at how well lots at a level below about £100,000 sold. That means that we are managing to attract new, younger buyers."
The most impressive performer was undoubtedly Lavery. The top earner among the Smurfit paintings was Lavery's Lady in Red, a portrait of Constance Bridges, which fetched £364,000 (€542,000) on a top estimate of £180,000 (€268,000).
Next was a relatively stark Louis le Brocquy painting, Lazarus, which fetched £229,600 (€341,000), well within its estimate, and two works by Yeats, which attained prices at the upper end of their estimates.
The highest price in the sale went to another Lavery, Finale, a moody interior featuring a woman in blue seated at a piano. It fetched just under its top estimate of £600,000 (€893,000).
Ms Doidge-Harrison points out that the substantial prices for works by Henry consolidate his position above the €100,000 (€149,000) mark. One of the most beautiful paintings in the sale, William Leech's The Secret Garden, did not sell during bidding but sold before the end of the sale for its lower estimate of £200,000 (€298,000).
Contemporary artists Robert Ballagh's homage to Ingres' The Turkish Bath went way above its top estimate of £20,000 (€29,500), fetching £38,400 (€57,000).
Christie's sale of Irish art takes place today.
