IMPORTANT IRISH ART Monday 23 November 2026 from 6PM

128 92 Genieve Figgis (b.1972) FLOATING ON A CLOUDWITH CHERUBS AND DOVES [AFTER BOUCHER], 2023 acrylic on canvas signed and dated on reverse 23.50 by 19.75in. (59.7 by 50.2cm) Frame Size: 25 by 21.5in. (63.5 by 54.6cm) Exhibited: ‘Genieve Figgis, Unearthly Pursuits’, presented by Almine Rech at Palazzo Cavanis, Venice, September to December 2024 Close your eyes and imagine the scene. The artist’s studio: a space that is organised and tidy. Neat rows of acrylic paints are lined up and an array of brushes, liquids, cloths and other necessary accoutrement are close at hand. A canvas is primed on the easel, the environment is ideal and all that is left to do is unscrew the tube tops and press play. There will be no interruptions. The medium needs to be malleable and the painting will be completed in a single sitting. Music fills the room and although the inspiration comes from a fanciful place of pastel baby blues and pinks and voluptuous nymphs, the dark operatic growl of heavy metal permeates the space and suddenly paint transforms soft swirls to gnarled forms and dissolves naiads and cherubs into ghostly cover versions of their former selves. This is how the author conjures the artist in the throes of creativity, listening to her favourite music, setting the scene; completely immersed in the process, trusting her intuition and the paint itself to rebel across the canvas and reveal something fantastical. Here we are presented with her interpretation of François Boucher’s (1703-1770) Rococo masterpiece The Triumph of Venus, 1740 (Collection National Museum, Stockholm). But what is it about Boucher’s work that attracts her? “My first introduction to art was in the church at Sunday mass.. There was a lot of floating going on. There was a spiritual sense of divine worship. The Rococo paintings make me feel like I’m experiencing something otherworldly. Boucher’s Triumph of Venus is a woman on a cloud. She is the main subject matter. This woman’s performance is taking the opportunity to question previous narratives. It allows me the opportunity to have fun and experience what it might be like floating on a cloud. I’ve replaced the subordination of a woman’s body with comedic beauty… allowing the chance to experience equality in the space.” Floating on a Cloud with Cherubs and Doves [After Boucher] was included in a solo exhibition ‘Unearthly Pursuits’, presented by her gallery Almine Rech at Palazzo Cavanis, Venice from September to December 2024. She has been represented by Almine Rech since 2015 having first caught the attention of Richard Prince, another artist in their stable of stellar international names. Her rise has been meteoric with her work now included in major public and private collections internationally, not to mention her reinterpretation of the iconic Lady Dior handbag among other monumental projects she has been involved with. Her most recent solo exhibition ‘Drama Club’ took place in 2026 at Almine Rech Monaco while group shows this year included ‘Songs to the Siren’ at The Model, Sligo and ‘Panorama Europa’ at The Glucksman, Cork. Figgis’ work has been compared to the enchanted, dreamlike city where this painting was exhibited. It can be dark and murky but also refreshing and beautiful in its imperfections. Just like the Floating City water is a key element of her practice with her finished paintings managing to lock in the mercurial nature of her process. It is a fusion of history and fantasy, the real and the imagined, a tribute as well as a reimagining. The author is grateful to Genieve Figgis for her generous insights into this painting and her artistic practice. Adelle Hughes October 2026 €30,000-€50,000 (£25,210-£42,020 approx.) Click here for more images and to bid on this lot9 2