Lot 67: Derek Clarke RWS, ARSA (b.1912) Old Connemara

Derek Clarke RWS, ARSA (b.1912) Old Connemara Woman Oil on board, 91 x 71cm Signed and dated 1939 Exhibited: "Derek Clarke Exhibition" The Frederick Gallery, September 2004, catalogue no. 16 where purchased by the present owner. Literature: The Frederick Gallery Catalogue, full page illustration p.19. Derek Clarke has written: 'After Christmas I moved to nearby Carraroe, where I was given a large white-washed bedroom and my own turf fire. So at last I had the facilities to do more painting. For a whole month I painted the old mother of the man of the house (no.16). She never spoke a word except 'mise, mise' as she settled on the stooleen, took out her pen-knife to pare the sixpenny plug of tobacco with which I kept her supplied, and lit her píopa, holding down its metal lid with one finger. Her clothes consisted of two red petticoats, one over the other, a blue check apron, home-spun jacket tucked in at the waist; a loose-knitted woollen 'shawleen' doubled over in front and tied behind, a 'knappikin' roun her head, and the paisley shawl worn Sunday side out (the reverse being brown with yellow patterns). I consider this the most important painting of my life. Not only had I achieved a painting totally devoid of derivations, but it gave me the confidence to hope that I might be able to take up my profession again should I be lucky to survive the war. It is exhibited here for the first time. War was declared in September of that year.' 'This is not just a portrait of a specific woman, but of all the old women who have sat by the turf fire since the dawn of the gaelic world.'