Whyte's THE ECLECTIC COLLECTOR TIMED ON-LINE AUCTION 18 APRIL 2026

142 222 1922 portrait of Irish Free State Minister Desmond FitzGerald by Frank Leah (1886-1972) Pencil signed by the artist and Mr FitzGerald. 14 by 11in. (35.6 by 27.9cm) Condition: Fine, mounted, ready for framing. Dimensions in the mount: 22 by 15 inches. Desmond FitzGerald (13 February 1888 – 9 April 1947) was an Irish revolutionary, politician, and poet, known for his role in the Irish independence movement and for his ministerial roles in Irish governments; he was Director of Publicity from 1919 to 1921, Minister for Publicity from 1921 to 1922, Minister for External Affairs from 1922 to 1927 and finally Minister for Defence from 1927 to 1932. In 1914 FitzGerald became active in the Irish Volunteers, and he took part in the Easter Rising of 1916 and was subsequently imprisoned for two years by the British. FitzGerald was elected as a Sinn Féin MP in 1918. During the Irish War of Independence FitzGerald worked as the rebels’Minister for Publicity. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921, he supported the pro-Treaty side, leading to his involvement in the Irish Civil War as a member of the Free State government. He served as Minister for External Affairs from 1922 to 1927, during which he worked to establish the international presence of the newly formed Irish Free State on behalf of the Cumann na nGaedhael political party. His son, Garret FitzGerald, would later become Taoiseach. Frank Leah (1886-1972) was an illustrator, caricaturist and newspaper art editor based in Dublin. He worked for several Dublin newspapers and periodicals including the Weekly Freeman, and the Evening Telegraph. He made portraits of many well-known Dublin personalities Estimate €500-€700 (approx £430-£610) Click here for more images and to bid on this lot 222 223 1922 portrait of Irish Free State Minister Kevin O’Higgins by Frank Leah (1886-1972) Signed by the artist. 1.50 by 11in. (3.8 by 27.9cm) Condition: Fine, mounted, ready for framing. Dimensions in the mount: 22 by 15 inches. Along with Arthur Griffith, Michael Collins and Eoin O’Duffy, O’Higgins is an important figure in Irish nationalist history, representing a more “conservative revolutionary” position when contrasted with republicanism. After having a role in the Irish War of Independence, he went on to defend the nascent Irish Free State, as part of the pro-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War. During this time he signed the execution orders of seventy- seven prisoners. He was later assassinated in retaliation by an IRA unit in Booterstown, County Dublin. Estimate €300-€500 (approx £260-£430) Click here for more images and to bid on this lot 223