Bidding on this item has ended.
Louis le Brocquy
HEAD OF A YOUNG WOMAN (MELANIE LE BROCQUY)
Lot 39
Price Realised:
€10,000
Estimate:
€15,000 - €20,000
Louis le Brocquy HRHA, 1916-2012
HEAD OF A YOUNG WOMAN (MELANIE LE BROCQUY)
Oil on canvas , 20" x 16" (50.8 x 40.6cm), signed, inscribed verso. In a 1945 'Tinker Period' Dawson Gallery frame
This delicate early work by le Brocquy is an a...
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Lot 39
Louis le Brocquy
HEAD OF A YOUNG WOMAN (MELANIE LE BROCQUY)
Lot 39
Louis le Brocquy
HEAD OF A YOUNG WOMAN (MELANIE LE BROCQUY)
Estimate:
€15,000 - €20,000
Louis le Brocquy HRHA, 1916-2012
HEAD OF A YOUNG WOMAN (MELANIE LE BROCQUY)
Oil on canvas , 20" x 16" (50.8 x 40.6cm), signed, inscribed verso. In a 1945 'Tinker Period' Dawson Gallery frame
This delicate early work by le Brocquy is an affectionate painting of his sister Melanie, done when both were in their twenties. She went on to become an accomplished sculptor, occasionally making bronze portraits of her brother. Louis le Brocquy's work continued to evolve but throughout his long career he returned again and again to the study of the human head, from the abstract ancestral heads of the 1960s to the later images of significant literary and cultural figures. It's interesting to see how in this very early picture details like hair, neck, torso and background have been stripped away so that the focus is uncompromisingly on the head.
In this early portrait one can also see aspects of Louis le Brocquy's aesthetic disposition that remained unchanged over the decades that were to come. There is a cool restraint in his use of colour and in its spareness. His control and elegance is visible in the beautiful lines that delineate the jaw and the sitter's features. Although the picture is small, it has a sense of authority that draws us to it.
Dr Frances Ruane HRHA
October 2022
HEAD OF A YOUNG WOMAN (MELANIE LE BROCQUY)
Oil on canvas , 20" x 16" (50.8 x 40.6cm), signed, inscribed verso. In a 1945 'Tinker Period' Dawson Gallery frame
This delicate early work by le Brocquy is an affectionate painting of his sister Melanie, done when both were in their twenties. She went on to become an accomplished sculptor, occasionally making bronze portraits of her brother. Louis le Brocquy's work continued to evolve but throughout his long career he returned again and again to the study of the human head, from the abstract ancestral heads of the 1960s to the later images of significant literary and cultural figures. It's interesting to see how in this very early picture details like hair, neck, torso and background have been stripped away so that the focus is uncompromisingly on the head.
In this early portrait one can also see aspects of Louis le Brocquy's aesthetic disposition that remained unchanged over the decades that were to come. There is a cool restraint in his use of colour and in its spareness. His control and elegance is visible in the beautiful lines that delineate the jaw and the sitter's features. Although the picture is small, it has a sense of authority that draws us to it.
Dr Frances Ruane HRHA
October 2022
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All maximum bids are confidential and not disclosed. The system will endeavor to purchase the lot for you for the least price. Bids are subject to buyer’s premium of 25% (incl vat), with no additional charges.
In the event of a tied bid, the preference will be given to the bid submitted first. The second bidder will receive immediate notification of being outbid.
PLEASE BID EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.
In order to allow rival bidders the opportunity to respond to a late bid the following extensions will apply:
IF A BID IS RECEIVED WITHIN THE FINAL 45 SECONDS OF THE COUNTDOWN THE CLOCK WILL RESET TO 60 SECONDS.
At any point you can leave a maximum bid, representing the highest price you are prepared to pay for a particular lot. Bidding only advances when there is competition from a rival bidder. In that case the system bids on your behalf, only up to the maximum if required. All bids are relayed to you be email, along with notification if you have been outbid.
All maximum bids are confidential and not disclosed. The system will endeavor to purchase the lot for you for the least price. Bids are subject to buyer’s premium of 25% (incl vat), with no additional charges.
In the event of a tied bid, the preference will be given to the bid submitted first. The second bidder will receive immediate notification of being outbid.
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