20 / 100
20
WHYTES
SINCE 1783
,
The William Orpen Memorial Fund
Local photographer Dominic Lee of Priory Studios has always
been an admirer of the work of William Orpen. In 2012 he
persuaded the Stillorgan Village Shopping Centre to exhibit a
permanent display of Orpen’s paintings and to rename the first
floor “Orpen Mall”. Mr Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for the Arts,
Heritage and the Gaeltacht officially opened the exhibition at
which Dominic announced part two of his plan - to have a
sculpture of William Orpen erected in Stillorgan.
William Orpen was born in Oriel Lodge, Grove Avenue,
Stillorgan in 1878. At the age of 12 he attended the
Metropolitian School of Art (now the National College of Art &
Design) and later attended the Slade Art College in London. He
became a very successful society portrait painter and returned
to Dublin regularly to teach in his old college. He was involved
in the “Celtic revival” in Ireland and took part in the attempt
here to find a visual counterpart to the birth of new national
literary language. Although his studio was in London, he spent
much time painting in Ireland, he was a friend of Hugh Lane
and influenced the Irish realist painters, like Seán Keating, who
in turn influenced another generation of Irish painters. He was
appointed a War Artist in 1914 and knighted for his services.
Rowan Gillespie, renowned sculptor, from neigbouring
Blackrock, has been commissioned to create the memorial.
Donations may be made to: The Stillorgan Chamber of
Commerce - Orpen Fund,12 Lower Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan,
Co Dublin, or to
www.iDonate.ie/WilliamOrpenThe proceeds of lots 21 to 25 will go to the William Orpen
Memorial Fund.
21
Sir William Orpen RA RI RHA
(1878-1931)
ARTIST PLAYING BILLIARDS AT PAULTONS, ROMSEY,
HAMPSHIRE
ink
6 by 9.30in. (15.24 by 23.62cm)
Kindly donated by Richard Olivier, grandson of William
Orpen.
€
1,000-
€
1,500 (£800-£1,200 approx)
22
Ken Howard OBE RA PNEAC (
b.
1932)
NUDE IN WILLIAM ORPEN’ S STUDIO
oil on canvas board
signed lower right
12 by 10in. (30.48 by 25.40cm)
Kindly donated by Ken Howard.
Ken Howard was born in London and studied at the
Hornsey College of Art and the Royal College of Art
(1955–58). In 1973 he was appointed, like William Orpen,
an official Military Artist and served in various locations,
including Northern Ireland, Hong Kong, Cyprus and
Canada with the British Army. In 1983 he was elected an
Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA). In 1998 he became
President of the New English Art Club, a post he held until
2003. In 1991 he was elected a Royal Academician (RA).
He paints in a “traditional” manner, based on strong
observation and a high degree of draughtsmanship
combined with tonal precision.The depiction of light is a
strong and recurrent element of his work. A notable
theme is the nude model in his studio, which is the same
London studio that William Orpen painted in.
His work is in public collections including the National
Army Museum, Guildhall Art Gallery, Ulster Museum and
Imperial War Museum. Howard was appointed Officer of
the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2010.
€
1,500-
€
2,000 (£1,200-£1,600 approx)