WHYTE'S IRISH ART 28 MAY 2018

William Percy French (1854-1920) 14 William Percy French (1854-1920) BOG LANDSCAPE WITH TURF STACKS watercolour signed lower left 10.25 by 17.25in. (26 by 43.8cm) Presented in the original pokerwork frame with Celtic interlaced knot design. A number of French’s watercolours were effectively framed by the Arts and Crafts workshop known first as the Belfast School of Poker-Work and then as the Irish Decorative Art Association, run by Eta Lowry and Mina Robinson and their team of women in Belfast. By 1900 specialising in Celtic interlaced pokerwork patterns, their frequent- ly exhibited work showed their application of “the ancient Celtic ornament to all the articles of use and beauty which furnish the modern home”. Larmour records that in 1904 almost all Percy French’s paintings were exhibited with pokerwork frames decorated by the Association at its annual summer show in Portrush, Co. Antrim. (1) Some of these were intricately delineated on the timber frame with competently rhythmic, inventive knotwork, ably balanced on all four sides with modulating triple spirals to denote a change of design in the middle of each side. These small circular devices recall the triskel, one of the main emblems of Celtic triadic paganism, perhaps sym- bolising, appropriately, the three realms of land, sea and sky. They may be seen in somewhat fish-like forms, along with small interlaced crosses in the fine frame which French chose to set off the 1902 watercolour he painted to illustrate his immortal words, “Where Ever I go my heart turns back to the County Mayo” (sold by Whyte’s in Sep- tember 2005, lot 66) from the collection of Rupert Guinness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh.(2) Born at home in Cloonyquin House, near Tulsk in County Roscommon, Percy French was from early childhood introduced to the literary world through an extensive family library maintained by his father and through private home tutorage. Theirs was a close knit family and the children’s literary aspirations were encouraged in the form of their own family magazine called The Tulsk Morning Howl in which Percy’s contributions of poetry, stories and drawing dominated. After entering prep school in England in 1864 and subsequently the Foyle College Belfast, French entered Trinity College, Dublin, 1872 to commence, what was to take eight years to complete, a Degree in Civil Engineering. Un- able to detach himself from his instinctive artistic nature, and an inherent disinterest in politics and ‘men’s matters’, French’s experiences at Trinity were recapitulated by the artist as follows: ”…I think taking the banjo, lawn tennis and watercolour painting instead of chemistry, geology and the theory of strains must have retarded my progress a great deal. But I was eventually allowed to take out my C.E. They were obviously afraid that if I stayed at Trinity any longer I might apply for a pension…” Although ceaseless in his artistic pursuits, French persevered with engineering and in 1883 was appointed Chief Engineer by the BoardWorks, Cavan, a position he referred to as “Inspector of Drains”. Several of his finest Irish landscapes were painted during this period spent in County Cavan. 1888-90 were very significant years for French: his Engineering post had come to an unexpected end and he was to return to the realm of the arts. Appointed ed- itor of The Jarvey comic magazine French was introduced to one of its illustrators whom he quickly fell in love with and later married. His relationship with Ms Ettie Armitage Moore, also a gifted artist, had a profound impact on the artist who suffered greatly upon her untimely death just one year later. In terms of his artistic movements at this time French was listed as a ‘working member’ of the Dublin Sketching Club, and between 1891 and 1901 he exhib- ited twenty-four works at the Royal Hibernian Academy. In 1894 he married Helen May Sheldon, a school friend fromWarkwickshire, and relocated to 35 Mespil Road, Dublin and later to London. These years saw the artist con- centrate on his career as an entertainer, touring widely across Ireland and Britain with his performances garnering him immense success and recognition. In the early years of the 1900s French was exhibiting with the Watercolour Society of Ireland (1905) and the following year in London at the New Dudley Gallery, Piccadilly and the Modern Gallery, Bond Street. On the back of these highly celebrated shows he attracted the attention of the Royal Family who later became his loyal patrons. The Royal Library of Windsor displays a drawing of Queen Victoria’s procession entering Phoenix Park. Having played sell-out shows across Ireland and Britain the career of Percy French as an entertainer reached its peak in 1910 when he touredWestern Europe, Canada, U.S.A. and the West Indies. His paintings from this period were never brought back to Ireland but were sold while abroad or donated to charities. In contrast, his expeditions to Switzerland in 1913 produced numerous sketches of the Alps and surrounding countryside many of which returned to Ireland and were later exhibited. During 1914-1918 French supported the war effort through staged charity concerts and performances for the troops both in England and France. He continued these theatrical pursuits up until 1920 until his ailing health restricted his movements. Connemara at this point served as a place of convalescence both physical and emotional. Here the artist’s poetic and painterly interpretations of life and landscapes fused: