Sir William Orpen, KBE RA RHA, Irish 1878-1931 - Interior, the Artist's Studio, Chelsea, c.1902-7; pen and ink wash on squared up paper, 23 x 21.4 cm Provenance: Sotheby's, London, The Irish Sale, 18th May 2001, lot 182; Pyms Gallery, London, stock no.H657 and purchased from the above (label on the reverse) Exhibited: Watts Gallery, Guildford, 'William Orpen: Method & Mastery', 2019 Note: This study of the artist’s studio highlights the intimacy of Orpen's craft, capturing the comfortable and stylish environment he created for his sitters. His home in Chelsea was a frequent subject in his work, and featured in multiple works in the collection at the Tate Britain, London. Irish born Sir William Orpen was one of the most important artists working in early 20th century Britain and his work made while an Official War Artist in WWI are now considered amongst the most powerful paintings depicting war ever made. Orpen’s work was synonymous with the endeavours and achievements of Mary and Alan Hobart at Pyms Gallery, as they were instrumental in bringing about a reappraisal of his work in the late 20th century. Due to various feuds with Augustus John and Wyndham Lewis amongst others, Orpen's reputation has been tarnished following his death and was rarely exhibited or written about. From their 1982 ‘The Irish Revival’, the Hobarts exhibited important Irish modern artists at their gallery in London, bringing these figures back to prominence. Orpen’s work was central to their private collection and was featured heavily in the exhibition ‘Championing Irish Art: The Mary and Alan Hobart Collection’ at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2023.
Sir William Orpen, KBE RA RHA, Irish 1878-1931 - Walking in the Evening with the Chimpanzee; ink on paper, titled along bottom edge, 32.5 x 20.5 cm Provenance: Catherine Townsend; Pyms Gallery, London, stock no.L938 and purchased from the above on the 18th January 2018 (label on the reverse) Note: While Sir William Orpen is best known for his poignant depictions of war, this work exemplifies his more playful exploration of what it means to be human. With particular focus on character, the artist emphasises facial expressions and gesture to capture the individuality of his subjects. Another work on a similar subject is in the National Gallery Ireland's archives. Irish born Sir William Orpen was one of the most important artists working in early 20th century Britain and his work made while an Official War Artist in WWI are now considered amongst the most powerful paintings depicting war ever made. Orpen’s work was synonymous with the endeavours and achievements of Mary and Alan Hobart at Pyms Gallery, as they were instrumental in bringing about a reappraisal of his work in the late 20th century. Due to various feuds with Augustus John and Wyndham Lewis amongst others, Orpen's reputation has been tarnished following his death and was rarely exhibited or written about. From their 1982 ‘The Irish Revival’, the Hobarts exhibited important Irish modern artists at their gallery in London, bringing these figures back to prominence. Orpen’s work was central to their private collection and was featured heavily in the exhibition ‘Championing Irish Art: The Mary and Alan Hobart Collection’ at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2023.
Sir William Orpen, KBE RA RHA, Irish 1878-1931 - Study for smaller version of 'The Western Wedding', c.1914; pencil on paper, 18.3 x 10.2 cm Provenance: Kit Orpen-Casey (the artist's daughter); Pyms Gallery, London, stock no.F968 and purchased from the above on the 5th December 1997 (label attached to the reverse) Note: This preliminary study highlights Orpen's thoughtful approach to composition. 'The Western Wedding' 1914, part of a series of three allegorical works, is believed to have been destroyed during WWII. Other works on this theme are housed in public collections including the National Gallery Ireland and Mildura Arts Centre, Australia. Irish born Sir William Orpen was one of the most important artists working in early 20th century Britain and his work made while an Official War Artist in WWI are now considered amongst the most powerful paintings depicting war ever made. Orpen’s work was synonymous with the endeavours and achievements of Mary and Alan Hobart at Pyms Gallery, as they were instrumental in bringing about a reappraisal of his work in the late 20th century. Due to various feuds with Augustus John and Wyndham Lewis amongst others, Orpen's reputation has been tarnished following his death and was rarely exhibited or written about. From their 1982 ‘The Irish Revival’, the Hobarts exhibited important Irish modern artists at their gallery in London, bringing these figures back to prominence. Orpen’s work was central to their private collection and was featured heavily in the exhibition ‘Championing Irish Art: The Mary and Alan Hobart Collection’ at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2023.
Sir William Orpen KBE RA RHA, Irish 1878-1931 - Study for a seated girl (Fatima); ink on paper, 24.5 x 18 cm Provenance: Cynthia O'Connor Gallery, Dublin; Pyms Gallery, London, stock no.E694 and purchased from the above on the 23rd March 1990 (label attached to the reverse) Note: This is a classic example of Orpen's style, characterised by his attention to texture, light and shadow. Often portraying people he knew, Orpen skillfully captures a sense of realism and the distinct personality of his sitters. Works of a similar theme are held in public collections including the Tate Britain, London, Manchester Art Gallery and The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham. Irish born Sir William Orpen was one of the most important artists working in early 20th century Britain and his work made while an Official War Artist in WWI are now considered amongst the most powerful paintings depicting war ever made. Orpen’s work was synonymous with the endeavours and achievements of Mary and Alan Hobart at Pyms Gallery, as they were instrumental in bringing about a reappraisal of his work in the late 20th century. Due to various feuds with Augustus John and Wyndham Lewis amongst others, Orpen's reputation has been tarnished following his death and was rarely exhibited or written about. From their 1982 ‘The Irish Revival’, the Hobarts exhibited important Irish modern artists at their gallery in London, bringing these figures back to prominence. Orpen’s work was central to their private collection and was featured heavily in the exhibition ‘Championing Irish Art: The Mary and Alan Hobart Collection’ at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2023.
Sir William Orpen KBE RA RHA, Irish 1878-1931 - Study for 'The Poet' (3); pencil on paper, 14.9 x 16 cm Provenance: Kit Orpen-Casey (the artist's daughter); Pyms Gallery, London, stock no.F974 and purchased from the above on the 5th December 1997 (label attached to the reverse) Note: from sketchbook no.152. Sir William Orpen's dynamic mark-making and expressive detail capture the essence of his sitters. These studies depict Sean Keating, a former student of Orpen’s at The Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin, and Orpen’s lover, Evelyn St. George. The finished painting 'The Poet' c.1915 was a major work in the Hobarts' private collection. Irish born Sir William Orpen was one of the most important artists working in early 20th century Britain and his work made while an Official War Artist in WWI are now considered amongst the most powerful paintings depicting war ever made. Orpen’s work was synonymous with the endeavours and achievements of Mary and Alan Hobart at Pyms Gallery, as they were instrumental in bringing about a reappraisal of his work in the late 20th century. Due to various feuds with Augustus John and Wyndham Lewis amongst others, Orpen's reputation has been tarnished following his death and was rarely exhibited or written about. From their 1982 ‘The Irish Revival’, the Hobarts exhibited important Irish modern artists at their gallery in London, bringing these figures back to prominence. Orpen’s work was central to their private collection and was featured heavily in the exhibition ‘Championing Irish Art: The Mary and Alan Hobart Collection’ at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2023.
Sir William Orpen KBE RA RHA, Irish 1878-1931 - Scene from the Arabian Nights, possibly 'Nouridden and the Fair'; ink and pencil on paper, signed lower right in pencil 'Orpen', 24 x 28 cm Provenance: Sotheby's, London, 16th May 2002; Pyms Gallery, London, stock no.H782 and purchased from the above (label attached to the reverse) Exhibited: Imperial War Museum, London, 'William Orpen: Politics, Sex and Death', 21st January-2nd May 2005, no.77 Note: This charming example showcases Orpen’s mastery of form. The tales of the 'One Thousand and One Nights' gained mass popularity during the Victorian era and inspired this series of illustrations c.1899. This particular work pays homage to Rembrandt’s etching 'Nude Woman seated on a Mound' c.1631, which was exhibited in the British Museum around this time. Irish born Sir William Orpen was one of the most important artists working in early 20th century Britain and his work made while an Official War Artist in WWI are now considered amongst the most powerful paintings depicting war ever made. Orpen’s work was synonymous with the endeavours and achievements of Mary and Alan Hobart at Pyms Gallery, as they were instrumental in bringing about a reappraisal of his work in the late 20th century. Due to various feuds with Augustus John and Wyndham Lewis amongst others, Orpen's reputation has been tarnished following his death and was rarely exhibited or written about. From their 1982 ‘The Irish Revival’, the Hobarts exhibited important Irish modern artists at their gallery in London, bringing these figures back to prominence. Orpen’s work was central to their private collection and was featured heavily in the exhibition ‘Championing Irish Art: The Mary and Alan Hobart Collection’ at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2023.
SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, RA, RHA IRISH, 1878-1931 CHELSEA WINDOW - PORTRAIT OF GRACE KNEWSTUB, CA. 1901 (GRACE ORPEN READING BY A WINDOW) Oil on canvas Verso labels
Sir William Orpen KBE RA RI RHA (1878-1931) THE REBEL (STUDY OF A MAN RECUMBENT), 1902 oil on board signed lower right; signed, titled, dated and inscribed [Dublin] on reverse h:20.50 w:31.50 in. Provenance: Sotheby's, 7 May 2008, lot 126; Private collection Exhibited: New English Art Club, London, Winter 1902, catalogue no. 51 as Study of a Man Recumbent Literature: 'Art in London', Western Daily Press, 11 November 1902, p. 3; 'Art Pencillings', The Echo, 13 November 1902, p. 1; 'New English Art Club', The Daily Telegraph, 15 November 1902, p. 7 In 1902 William Orpen returned to the Life Room. For three weeks, in the spring of that year, he found gainful employment at his alma mater, the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin, as a teacher of anatomy. It was a subject that would become core curriculum when in January 1904 he and Augustus John opened their short-lived art school in Chelsea, and the classes would be repeated thereafter in annual summer sessions in Dublin. (1) For the artist, a commitment to a deep understanding of the human form was essential. The precocity demonstrated in his earliest exercises in figure drawing had brought him to London in the first place. In 1897, at the progressive Slade School of Fine Art, he had studied under the austere artist-surgeon, Henry Tonks, in an atelier-style pedagogy in which men and women students were treated alike. (2) Only in front of the male model in a mixed class, did modesty - in the form of a loin cloth - prevail. (3) In November 1902, however, the aura of the schoolroom hung over two canvases shown at the New English Art Club as Study of a Man Recumbent and The Rebel respectively. Although partially abraded, the present work is clearly entitled 'The Rebel' on the reverse and its re-appearance here enables us to clarify the relationship between the two versions of the subject. Both were 'very clever' demonstrations of the artist's 'ability', but their appeal might essentially be to the discerning art student, according to The Echo. At the same time, The Western Daily Press found all four of Orpen's contributions to the exhibition, among 'the most interesting things' in the show and it was left to The Daily Telegraph reviewer to attempt an unravelling of the studies of the 'prone, half-naked' figure. (4) Similar in size, the larger of the two was described as 'an Italian model recumbent and half-stripped' and 'ambitiously styled "The Rebel"', while the Study of a Man Recumbent, was 'more simply and appropriately styled'. 'The touch of true imaginativeness', it continued, … that might transform the studio-piece into the poetic evocation of a romantic incident is conspicuously absent. Nothing in this case transfigures the terre à terre realism. Not for the first or last time was the young artist's unflinching realism the subject of comment. Like Courbet and Manet before him, he would not pander to public taste. It was indeed the case that Orpen was setting a standard of attainment, with no overlay of false sentiment. These were after all académies in the great tradition of nineteenth century French painting, with no holds barred. Delighting in 'intense enjoyment he derived from this mastery', Orpen 'revelled', according to PG Konody, 'in the exercise of his skill, in evoking life out of a dead surface' and, he concluded, 'every stroke of the brush has its definite, expressive function in the modelling of bony and fleshy forms, in the building up of the muscular mechanism …' The title of the Crawford Art Gallery painting - The Rebel - was merely a 'cloak'. (5) It was common at the beginning of the twentieth century for painters to try to sell their art school figure studies, reworked as heroes from history and myth. Setting, costume, circumstantial detail and dramatic lighting were things to be added if the result was to appeal to collectors. (6) It was a transition that these two paintings, hung close to one another in the same show, demonstrated. Two problematic layers in the placing of the present picture within the oeuvre can now be satisfactorily addressed. It is now clear that while the Crawford Art Gallery painting has been retitled The Revolutionary, there were two versions of The Rebel, not one, and it is entirely possible that Study of a Man Recumbent, as the first 'rebel' appeared in the New English catalogue, may well have obtained its 'Man Recumbent' title at the suggestion of the selection committee as a means of distinguishing between the two. (7) When Orpen asked the model to roll on to his back and reveal his face it was thus a significant moment when the long investment in the academy was turned to account. Having taken the £5 prize for figure painting at the Slade in 1899 with A Male Figure standing to the left, he had reason to be proud. Back in the Dublin life room in 1902, the challenge was to step forward, to move on, and to find an expressive potential in the naked male that would eventually lead to St Patrick, three versions of Job and St John the Baptist and other works. (8) As The Rebel (Study of a Man Recumbent, 1902) reveals, there was inevitably, much more to it. Orpen had looked at Rembrandt, had imbibed seventeenth century Spanish Caravaggesque painting and like his brother-in-law, William Rothenstein, had a fascination for Goya. (9) This rich visual heritage glowed through the naked form in 1902. With the knowledge he had attained from looking, from seeing brushstrokes in the prone figure before him, he could do anything. It haunted him until his dying day. (10) Prof Kenneth McConkey, August 2024 1. Bruce Arnold, Orpen, Mirror to an Age, 1981, (Jonathan Cape), p. 163.; for Orpen's pedagogical aids see Robert Upstone, William Orpen, Teaching the Body, 2009 (Tate Britain). 2. Orpen and Augustus John, former 'stars' of the Slade School of Fine Art, opened their Chelsea School of Art at the start of 1904, while their networks, and reputations, were growing rapidly. The school however, lasted into its second year when it was sold on; Arnold 1981, pp. 191-2; see also Emma Chambers, Student Stars at the Slade 1894-1899, Augustus John and William Orpen, 2004 (exhibition catalogue, UCL Art Collections); 3. In most early extant Orpen life studies, produced in men-only classes male genitalia are exposed. The presence of a loin cloth in The Rebel, (Study of a Man Recumbent, 1902) may, without written evidence to prove it, indicate that the present work was produced in a teaching studio with both male and female students present. 4. Orpen exhibited Study of a Man Recumbent, (no 51, the present picture), The Rebel (no 78, Crawford Art Gallery, Cork), Study of Myself (no 91, Glasgow Museums) and The Chess-Players (no 129, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford). 5. P.G. Konody and Sidney Dark, Sir William Orpen, Artist and Man, Seeley Service, London, 1932, p.158; see also Robert Upstone ed., William Orpen, Sex, Politics and Death, 2005 (Imperial War Museum & Philip Wilson Publishers), p. 19. 6. In the case of The Rebel, the muzzle of a 'shotgun' was noted as the only addition justifying its title. The discarded hat may be a later addition. 7. See Lot Essay by Orpen Research Project, Sotheby's 7 May 2008. The presence of two so visually similar works in the New English winter exhibition leaves open the question of Orpen's intention. A prone figure is approached differently when the muzzle of what was described by a contemporary reviewer as a 'shotgun', is visible by its side. 8. Two versions of St Patrick are known (Potteries Museum, Stoke-on-Trent, and unlocated) and three versions of Job (Johannesburg Art Gallery, National Gallery of Ireland and Private Collection). 9. Kenneth McConkey, 'Dark Identities, Orpen's Hispanic Repertory', The British Art Journal, vol VII, no 3, 2006-7, pp. 62-69. Upstone 2005, p. 19 referring to the Crawford Art Gallery picture, suggests that the figure may be a Paris Communard or a rebel from the 1848 Revolution, his form influenced by the pest-house figures of Baron Gros. 10. See for instance, Nude on the Rock, 1930-1 (Private Collection); Eve in the Garden of Eden, 1930-1 and Nude Female Model (Reading on the Seashore), 1930-1 (both Royal Academy of Arts, London).
Sir William Orpen (English, 1878-1931) Portrait of Vera oil on canvas signed, titled and dated "Orpen, Vera, 1912" 30 x 25 inches (sight) 37 1/2 x 32 1/2 inches (frame)
Cheque for SIR WILLIAM ORPEN (born Stillorgan, County Dublin 1878 – died London 1931) Cheque of the London & Westminster Bank ltd, South Kensington Branche from 8th of September 1903, with written text “Pay to William Orpen, Twenty Pounds only”, and cancelled with the purple Lothbury stamp. A very rare piece of history. Cheque uitgeschreven aan Sir William Orpen (Geb. Stillorgan, County Dublin 1878 – overl. London 1931) Gedateerd: 8 september 1903 en “Pay To William Orpen”
Sir William Orpen N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (Irish, 1878-1931) Portrait of Henry Whitworth M.F.H. signed 'William Orpen' (lower right) oil on canvas 127.5 x 102 cm. (50 1/8 x 40 1/8 in.)
SIR WILLIAM ORPEN (BRITISH 1878-1931) PORTRAIT OF MRS. ARTHUR GIBBS WITH A JADE NECKLACEOil on canvasSigned (upper left)78 x 63cm (30½ x 24¾ in.)Painted in October 1921.Provenance:The sitterThence by descent to the present ownersExhibited:London, Royal Academy, 1922, no. 34Literature:P. G. Konody & S. Dark, Sir William Orpen, Artist and Man, London, 1932, p. 272Following her engagement to Arthur Gibbs in November of 1920, Barbara Trevor Williams received a very special wedding gift from her father's business partner and family friend, Eldridge R. Johnson. He wanted to commission a portrait of her by any artist of her choice. There was much debate over which artist she should sit for, but her father's previous experience sitting for Sir William Orpen, coupled with Barbara's own preference for his works, ultimately settled the matter.After her wedding, Barbara sat for Orpen on five or six occasions, building a relationship with the artist, and developing a level of trust. It was during these sessions that she confessed her pregnancy. Orpen took good care of the young lady, ensuring her comfort throughout, even taking her home in a taxi after a particularly long sitting. Upon completion, the portrait was exhibited at the Royal Academy in the Spring of 1922, alongside works by George Clausen and notably John Singer Sargent's Countess of Rocksavage. Despite being well received at the Academy, Orpen wasn't entirely satisfied with the final result. In 1926, Orpen wrote to Barbara, expressing his desire to correct the colour values, which he deemed to be incorrect due to his own illness at the time of painting. Barbara obliged, taking the painting to his studio for adjustments. There, she sat for him twice more as he meticulously corrected the tones of her skin, resulting in the portrait we see today.
Sir William Orpen N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (Irish, 1878-1931) Standing Male Nude signed 'Orpen' (upper right) pencil drawing on paper 59.5 x 40.5cm (23 7/16 x 15 15/16in). with a further pencil on paper portrait, on the reverse, by the same hand
Orpen (William, 1878-1931). Sowing the Seed, The Breeze, & Part of Composition, 1913 * Orpen (William, 1878-1931). Sowing the Seed, The Breeze, & Part of Composition, 1913, 3 photogravures, each with printed title and signature below the image, few faint spots, mount aperture 29.5 x 20 cm (11 1/2 x 8 ins) and similar, uniformly framed and glazed (49.5 x 37 cm and smaller) QTY: (3)
Orpen (William, 1878-1931). After Bathing, Sowing the Seed, The Winner, Kit, & others, 1913 * Orpen (William, 1878-1931). After Bathing, Sowing the Seed, The Winner, Kit, & others, 1913, 12 photogravures (including 2 duplicates), each with printed title and signature below the image, published by the Chenil Gallery, Chelsea (blind stamp to upper left corner of each sheet), some scattered spotting, plate size 32.5 x 23 cm (12 3/4 x 9 ins, or inverse) and similar, each with loose tissue guard, sheet size 58 x 45.5 cm (or inverse), contained together in original publisher's board and cloth portfolio, gilt-lettered title 'Drawings by William Orpen' to front cover, Chenil Gallery label inside front cover, remants of cloth ties to fore-edges, the portfolio 60.5 x 48 cm QTY: (1) NOTE: The other titles included are: The Breeze (2 copies), The Bather, On the Cliff, The Draughtsman and His Model, The Yacht Race, Part of Composition (2 copies). Kit was the family name for Orpen's daughter Christine.
William Newenham Montague Orpen (1878 - 1931) Oil on canvas, signed upper right, measures 20 x 16 and 24 x 20 inches w/ frame. One of the greatest painters in the history of Irish art, Sir William Newenham Montague Orpen, was a skillful and sympathetic Irish portraitist of the traditional school of academic art. During a lifetime devoted to portrait art, he painted about 600 portraits, including those of David Lloyd-George (British Prime Minister), Woodrow Wilson (US President) and Sir Douglas Haig (British commander in WWI).
SIR WILLIAM ORPEN RA (IRISH 1878-1931) VATTETOT-SUR-MER titled, dedicated and dated VATTETOT / SUR MER / 1899 / WILL ROTHENSTEIN and ALICE ROTHENSTEIN lower centre gouache and watercolour on silk 16.5 x 37cm; 6 1/2 x 14 1/2in (fan shaped) 51.5 x 64cm; 20 1/4 x 25 1/4in (framed) Property from an English Private Collection Provenance William and Alice Rothenstein, London (a wedding present from the artist) Mrs Rachel Ward (née Rothenstein; 1903-1989, inherited from the above) Thence by descent to the present owner Exhibited London, The Leicester Galleries, The Collection of Sir William Rothenstein, 1946, no. 60 The present work, a wedding present from Orpen to William Rothenstein and his new bride Alice (née Newstub), celebrates the couple on holiday with friends in Vattetot on the Normandy coast. Rothenstein had married Alice on 11th June 1899. The figures depicted from top left are: Albert Rothenstein (later Rutherston) and William Orpen, Alice and William Rothenstein, Grace Knewstub (Alice’s sister, later Mrs. William Orpen) and John Herbert Everett, a fellow Slade student with Albert and Orpen. In the lower medallions are Augustus John (left) and Charles Conder (right). Orpen had first met William Rothenstein through his brother Albert when he was a fellow student at the Slade. Together with Augustus John the trio formed what William jocularly referred to as 'the three musketeers'. William and Alice had discovered Vattetot on a bicycling trip out from Dieppe. In his memoires William writes: 'On our return to London we spoke of Vattetot to John and Conder, who, with Orpen and my brother [Albert], proposed to join us there next summer. When the summer came, it was a large party which descended upon Vattetot; never had so many easels and paint-boxes been seen. It was a glorious time, divided between painting and play.' (William Rothenstein, Men and Memories, London, 1931, vol. 1, p. 347)
SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) Study of a male nude pencil 22.8 x 17.7 cm. (9 x 7 in.) Provenance With The Neptune Gallery, Dublin With European Fine Arts, Dublin Exhibited Dublin, The Neptune Gallery, Orpen Exhibition, 16 Jun-14 Jul 1971, cat.no.19 Dublin, European Fine Arts, Twentieth Century Drawings by Irish Artist, November 1989, cat.no.35 The present lot is Courtauld Institute folio number 31
SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) Possible Study for David Lloyd George (or The Poet) pencil 19.7 x 21 cm. (7 3/4 x 8 1/4 in.) Provenance The Pyms Gallery, London
SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) Couple in landscape signed and inscribed indistinctly 'W Orpen' (lower left) pen & ink and wash 25 x 19.5 cm. (9 7/8 x 7 5/8 in.) Provenance With Pyms Gallery, London
SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) Daily Mail Drawing signed and inscribed 'coolness for the Neck!/is all very well but don't forget/The other parts, yours William Orpen' (lower right); further inscribed and dated 'To the Daily Mail-/30th July 1928' (upper right) watercolour and pencil 24.1 x 17.3 cm. (9 1/2 x 6 3/4 in.) Provenance Sale; Christieâs, London, 11 August 1982 With Pyms Gallery, London
SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) Seated Portuguese Woman chalk 57.7 x 39.3 cm. (22 3/4 x 15 1/2 in.) Provenance The artistâs daughter Sale; Phillips, London, 2 June 1996 With Pyms Gallery, London
SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) SIR WILLIAM ORPEN, N.E.A.C., R.A., H.R.H.A. (IRISH, 1878-1931) Study of arms chalk 42 x 34.3 cm. (16 1/2 x 13 1/2 in.) Provenance Acquired directly from the artist by Private Collection With Pyms Gallery, London
Sir William Orpen RA RHA (1878 - 1931) Study from Life - Female Nude Charcoal, 25 x 17cm (9¾ x 6½) Provenance: Collection of Dorothy Walker, thence by descent
Portrait of Mrs. Wertheimer (née Trautz). Signed bottom left. Oil on canvas. Framed. Provenance: The Dr. Kevin Moynihan Collection, Macroom, Co. Cork. A re-discovered portrait of a lady, signed by William Orpen Hedsor (1904) is believed to be one of two portraits of Jessica Wertheimer (née Trautz). Both were commissioned by Charles Wertheimer (1842-1911), a notable art dealer and an early patron of the artist. A paper on the back of the painting testifies that The Fine Art Society sold this painting titled Mrs Wertheim of Hedsor Priory 1904 in December 1978. The spelling of Wertheim is believed to be a typo for the family name of Wertheimer. Orpen was an Irish artist, born in Stillorgan, County Dublin. He moved to London and studied at the Slade School of Art between 1897 and 1899. His rise through the social nuanced world of British society portraiture was meteoric. By 1914, according to the Dictionary of Irish Biography, he had become the most successful artist of his generation in Britain, and the countrys most fashionable portraitist. He was a brilliant draughtsman, but part of his talent was for ingratiating himself with those who could pay for prestigious and expensive portraits. By 1904, Charles Wertheimer, had become Orpens leading patron. In the same year, Orpen showed a portrait of Wertheimer as his first exhibit at the Royal Academy. This portrait shows Mrs Wertheimer dressed in the height of Edwardian fashion with hair piled high under a wide-brimmed hat, an elaborate dress with a high collar incorporating lace, and a string of pearls. The brush strokes are moving towards gestural, giving the impression of dappled light. She looks healthy, wealthy and smug. It may have been painted at Hedsor Priory. A report in the Nottingham Evening Post (Thursday 26 May 1904, p.2, col 5) notes that: Several of the best houses on the Thames have been let for the Upper Thames season Hedsor House, adjoining Cliveden, has been let by Lord Boston to Mr. Charles Wertheimer. It was a very prestigious venue. Hedsor House is now best known for featuring in historic films and TV drama, including the ITV series Downton Abbey. Jessica has the appearance of a trophy wife. Charles had been separated from his first wife, Frieda, for more than twenty years and lived with his companion Sarah Hammond until that relationship ended in the 1890s. Portraits of both Charles Wertheimer and Sarah Hammond by John Everett Millais (1829-1896) are in the Musée dOrsay in Paris. In 1904, the same year that Frieda died, Charles married Jessica and commissioned Orpen to paint her twice. Both paintings were exhibited in London. This one was shown in the New English Art Club, London, Winter 1904, No.69, as A Portrait Study; and the other painting in Guildhall, as part as an Exhibition of Works by Irish Painters, 1904, No.27, as Jessie Wertheimer, lent by C.J. Wertheimer. The immediate public display of images of his new wife reads like a statement of some description. Possibly, it was as simple as pride in his bride. (Irish Art) Image size: 60 x 50 cm.; framed: 74 x 62 cm. Approximate Time: 10:24 Lot Number: 35
Sir William Orpen KBE RA RI RHA (1878-1931) FEMALE NUDE WITH HAND BEHIND BACK charcoal with Pyms Gallery label on reverse h:23 w:15.50 in. Provenance: Pyms Gallery, London; Private collection
Sir William Orpen KBE RA RI RHA (1878-1931) KISSING THE BLARNEY STONE ink and wash signed lower centre and lower right; with Pyms Gallery label on reverse h:10.25 w:16 in. Provenance: Pyms Gallery, London; Private collection
Sir William Orpen KBE RA RI RHA (1878-1931) THE BATHERS [STUDY], 1900 charcoal, watercolour and gouache signed and dated upper right h:8.75 w:11.50 in. Provenance: Pyms Gallery, London; Private collection
Sir William Orpen KBE RA RI RHA (1878-1931) THE SUPPLIANT, 1905 charcoal and red chalk signed and dated lower right; inscribed on label on reverse h:13.50 w:9.50 in. Provenance: Collection of F. C. Johnson, Southport; Christie's, 8 April 1927, lot 130; Private collection; Pyms Gallery, London; Private collection
Sir William Orpen (1878 - 1931) The artists and friends at the Cafe Royal (including Sir William Rothenstein) Inscribed: "I was much awed by my companions' conversation" Pen and ink on paper Old exhibition label, verso: Leicester Galleries, June 1946, no. 43, 'Orpen' Provenance: Collection of Sir William Rothenstein Mrs. J E. Strauss (purchased from Leicester Galleries exhibition, June 1946) By descent Property of a lady Dimensions: (Frame) 16 in. (H) x 13.5 in. (W) (Paper) 9 in. (H) x 7.5 in. (W)
Sir William Orpen R.S.W., N.E.A.C., R.A, R.H.A 1878 - 1931 Palm Sunday A.D. 33 signed ORPEN (lower right) oil on canvas unframed: 42 by 50.5cm.; 16½ by 20in. framed: 58.5 by 68cm.; 23 by 26¾in. Executed in 1930.
SIR WILLIAM ORPEN (BRITISH 1878-1951)PORTRAIT OF IDA NETTLESHIPRed chalkSigned and dated 1898 (lower left)29 x 20.5cm (11¼ x 8 in.)Provenance:J.L.W. Bird, LondonExhibited:London, J.L.W. Bird, Spring Exhibition, March-April 1981The present drawing was most likely executed in the studio at 76 Charlotte Street which Orpen shared with Augustus John and Ambrose McEvoy, whilst students at the Slade.Ida Nettleship was born in Hampstead in 1877. Nettleship went on to study at the Slade School of Art under the tutelage of Henry Tonks and Philip Wilson Steer. Mixing within the artistic circles of north London Nettleship became close friends with Gwen John and Edna Waugh. In 1901 Nettleship married Augustus John and they went on to have five sons together. Their relationship was complicated and she sadly died shortly after the birth of her fifth son in 1907.
Sir William Orpen RA RHA RWS (British, 1878-1931) 'A Break for a Smoke' pencil, pen, red ink and watercolour New Grafton Gallery 1977 Exhibition label verso
Sir William Orpen KBE RA RI RHA (1878-1931) LORD GEORGE HELL oil on canvas signed lower left h:30 w:26 in. Provenance: Pyms Gallery, London Exhibited: 'The Art of a Nation: Three Centuries of Irish Painting', Pyms Gallery London, June 2002, catalogue no. 30 Lord George Hell is the principal character in Max Beerbohm's The Happy Hypocrite, who falls in love with the dancer, Jenny Mere, an ingénue in the seedy world of corrupt impresarios. A Regency reprobate, he sets about to woo her, but in order to do so, must wear a mask to cover a pock-marked face. When he succeeds in his task and the mask is removed, his face has miraculously healed and become 'saintly' - such is the power of love. The story was published in 1896 followed by a one-act dramatised version at the Royalty Theatre in 1900. Orpen's first version of the subject is likely to have been inspired by seeing this production, rather than reading the book. This was shown at the new English Art Club in 1901. It is clear in the present oil version that Orpen wished to recreate the impression of a late eighteenth or early nineteenth century print. The girls' dress, bonnet and black shoes recall the maidens of Gainsborough, Romney and Hoppner and the encounter mimics, to some extent, that of Gainsborough's Haymaker and the Sleeping Girl. In the present version Jenny is undoubtedly startled by Lord George and by the transforming effect of his love for her. The story of the miracle, revisited late in his career, clearly had a profound effect on Orpen since the original drawing was placed on his easel just before his death so that it could be transferred to oil. William Rothenstein, who recounted his visit to the Oriel studio after the painter's death, was struck by the fact that, in the present work, Orpen had returned to such a profoundly personal early theme. He told Beerbohm. The author also was moved when he heard of the painter's life-long fascination with his play, and reflecting on their friendship, replied, 'I am deeply touched about the 'Happy Hypocrite' painting, and am glad that through my work I must have been in his thoughts'. Professor Kenneth McConkey
Sir William Orpen R.A., R.H.A. 1878 - 1931 The Yacht Race (Sighting the Boat) signed ORPEN (lower right) pencil and watercolour on paper unframed (sheet): 53.5 by 76.5cm.; 21 by 30in. framed: 73.5 by 93.5cm.; 29 by 36¾in. Executed circa 1913. We are grateful to Kenneth McConkey for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.
Sir William Orpen RA RHA RWS (1878-1931) The Barrister Brush and Indian ink over pencil, 49.5 x 37.8cm (19½ x 14?) Signed and dated (19)'18 Provenance: With Spink, King St. London, label verso
Sir William Orpen R.A., R.H.A. 1878 - 1931 Walking in the Evening with the Chimpanzee inscribed (lower edge) pen and ink on paper unframed (sheet): 33 by 21cm.; 13 by 8¼in. framed: 50 by 37.5cm.; 19¾ by 14¾in. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sir William Orpen R.A., R.H.A. 1878 - 1931 Walking in the Evening with the Chimpanzee inscrit (en bas à bord) stylo et l'encre sur papier sans cadre (feuille): 33 by 21cm.; 13 by 8¼in. avec cadre: 50 by 37.5cm.; 19¾ by 14¾in.
Sir William Orpen, R.A. R.H.A 1878 - 1931 Found at Last titled (lower centre) pen and ink on paper unframed (sheet): 33 by 21cm.; 13 by 8½in. framed: 50 by 37.5cm.; 19¾ by 14¾in. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sir William Orpen, R.A. R.H.A 1878 - 1931 Found at Last titré (en bas à centre) stylo et l'encre sur papier sans cadre (feuille): 33 by 21cm.; 13 by 8½in. avec cadre: 50 by 37.5cm.; 19¾ by 14¾in.
Sir William Orpen, R.A., R.H.A 1878 - 1931 Trying to Draw this Rabbit illustrated letter on Metropolitan School of Art headed paper, inscribed and signed pencil, ink and watercolour on paper unframed (sheet): 33.5 by 20.5cm.; 13¼ by 8in. framed: 50 by 37cm.; 19¾ by 14½in. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sir William Orpen, R.A., R.H.A 1878 - 1931 Trying to Draw this Rabbit un lettre illustré sur papier en-tête de Metropolitan School of Art, inscrit et signé crayon, l'encre et aqaurelle sur papier sans cadre (feuille): 33.5 by 20.5cm.; 13¼ by 8in. avec cadre: 50 by 37cm.; 19¾ by 14½in.
Sir William Orpen R.A., R.H.A. 1878 - 1931 The Normandy Cider Press signed ORPEN (lower left) oil on canvas unframed: 53.5 by 76cm.; 21 by 30in. framed: 72.5 by 96cm.; 28½ by 37¾in. Executed in 1900. __________________________________________________________________________ Sir William Orpen R.A., R.H.A. 1878 - 1931 The Normandy Cider Press signé ORPEN (en bas à gauche) huile sur toile sans cadre: 53.5 by 76cm.; 21 by 30in. avec cadre: 72.5 by 96cm.; 28½ by 37¾in. Exécuté en 1900.
Sir William Orpen RHA (1878-1931) Study of a Young Boy (1911) pencil on paper signed and dated 'Orpen 28th August 1911' lower left h:28 w:21.50 cm. Provenance: Private Collection
![Sir William Orpen KBE RA RI RHA (1878-1931) THE BATHERS [STUDY], 1900](https://stageimg.invaluable.com/housePhotos/Whytes/91/754691/H2548-L353821521.jpg)
![Sir William Orpen KBE RA RI RHA (1878-1931) THE IRISH PIG DANCE [ON HANDWRITTEN LETTER]](https://stageimg.invaluable.com/housePhotos/Whytes/37/749837/H2548-L346263432.jpg)
![Sir William Orpen KBE RA RI RHA (1878-1931) THE ARTIST POSTING A LETTER [LETTER TO EVERETT]](https://stageimg.invaluable.com/housePhotos/Whytes/37/749837/H2548-L346263468.jpg)
