WHYTE'S IRISH & INTERNATIONAL ART 26 FEBRUARY 2018

22 Seán Keating PRHA HRA HRSA (1889-1977) THE ARAN ISLAND TURF BOAT oil on canvas signed lower left; signed again on reverse 25 by 30in. (63.5 by 76.2cm) Provenance: Sotheby’s, 2 June 1995, lot 327; Private collection Seán Keating’s paintings of the Aran Island people were in constant demand throughout his working life. By the time he came to paint The Aran Island Turf Boat the artist had accumulated a large collection of sketches made while on the islands, many of which he annotated with his observations about the weather conditions: the prevailing winds; the height of the sun in the sky; and the mood of the sea. A keen photographer, he also amassed a trove of photographs of the Aran Island people. He was fascinated by their traditions, their dress, and their attitude to life. The sketches and photographs were kept in his studio for reference if a commission for an Aran Island painting came in, or if he wanted to paint, or to complete a work for a forthcoming exhibition. While it is not clear whether The Aran Island Turf Boat was a commission, or a work made for exhibition, it demonstrates everything that Keating was interested in about the islands, and was likely painted from direct observation, sketches, and photographs. The weather is calm and the lighting rather subdued. While the sea gently laps against the shore, the two fishermen settle the boat for the evening watched by the man in the right foreground. To the left foreground a group of three seem less interested in the boat, and are likely catching up on the gossip of the day. Painted in the mid-twentieth century as many of the traditions of the Aran Island people were dying out, twenty-first century viewers can now observe a peaceful scene - the end of the working day - captured against a high horizon and very much focused on a little corner of the harbour. It is a moment in time, a time now long gone, captured for posterity. Dr Éimear O’Connor HRHA January 2018 €50,000-€70,000 (£35,710-£50,000 approx.) Click Here for Large Images & To Bid Lot 22