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Grace Henry HRHA (1868-1953)
FLOWERS
oil on board
with inscribed Dawson Gallery label affixed on reverse
14 by 11in. (35.56 by 27.94cm)
Provenance:
Dawson Gallery, Dublin;
The Collection of Dr James Cruickshank
Exhibited:
'Grace Henry HRHA 1868-1953, Retrospective Exhibition', Jorgensen Fine Art, Dublin, 7-27 January 2010
Literature:
Cruickshank, J.G.,
Grace Henry, The Person and Artist,
published in association with Jorgensen Fine Art and Designroom,
Dublin, 2010, p.44 (illustrated)
A copy of Dr Cruickshank's text
Grace Henry, The Person and Artist,
accompanies this lot.
Dr. James G. Cruickshank, formerly of the Queen's University of Belfast, is the author of books and articles on Irish
geography and is a practising amateur artist. He is a native of Aberdeen, Scotland and has been a passionate collector and
researcher of Grace Henry for many years. He was first introduced to her work in the 1970s through Una Whyte of the
Magee Gallery, Belfast who established the connection between the two Aberdeen natives both of whom had spent their
adult lives in Belfast. Dr Cruickshank's first painting by Grace Henry, a gift from Whyte, was
Bringing in the Turf
(lot 110)
and thus the journey began. Dr Cruickshank has written several papers on the artist. He gave one of the lectures during
the 'Paul and Grace Henry exhibition' at the Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane in 1991 and more recently, published
Grace Henry - The Person and Artist
in association with Jorgensen Fine Art, Dublin in 2010. This collection is testament to
his devotion and support for an artist of unique talent and vision.
Born in Peterhead, Aberdeen, as Emily Grace Mitchell, she studied art at the Blanc Garrins Academy, Brussels, and the
Delecluse Academy, Paris. She was also a pupil for a while under André L'hote. In Paris she met the Irish painter Paul
Henry whom she married in 1903. They settled in England and Grace began exhibiting in London at the RA, the Leicester
Galleries, and the Fine Art Society. Along with her artist husband, she sent works to the RHA from 1910 onwards, and
two years later they left England for Achill Island, where they spent seven productive years painting the local people and
landscape. In 1922 she was represented at the Irish Exhibition in Paris with five works; later she was included in a similar
loan exhibition in Brussels in 1930. Both she and Paul were founder members of the Dublin Painters group. They
exhibited together at the Stephen's Green Gallery, Dublin, and the Magee Gallery, Belfast. However, the pair were
formally separated in 1934. Grace took to travelling and painting in France. Her work was boldly conceived in vibrant
colours and decisive brushwork; "her painting", commented the Studio in 1939, was "all poetry". She continued to exhibit
both in London and Dublin, notably with the Waddington Galleries and at the RHA. Although never made an Associate,
she was elected an Honorary RHA in 1949.
For further reading on the artist see: Cruickshank J.G.,
Grace Henry - The Person and Artist.
€600-€800 (£440-£590 approx.)
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