Irish & International Art 28 September 2015

Grace Henry HRHA (1868-1953)

MOONLIGHT ON LAKE

oil on canvas

signed lower right; with original Wiseman’s Fine Art [Southampton] label on reverse; with Jorgensen retrospective

exhibition label on reverse

18 x 20in. (45.72 x 50.80cm)

Provenance: Collection of Dr James Cruickshank;Whyte’s, 21 May 2012, lot 111;Private collection

Exhibited: ‘Grace Henry HRHA 1868-1953, Retrospective Exhibition’, Jorgensen Fine Art, Dublin, 7-27 January 2010

Contained in its original frame.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.”

€2,000-€3,000 (£1470-£2210 approx. approx.)

IRISH & INTERNATIONAL ART · 28 SEPTEMBER 2015