This oil was painted by French-born Eugene Riboulet, who moved to Northern Ireland in 1952 and lived there until his death 20 years later. Called The Bad News, the picture sold for sterling£720 last Wednesday at a studio sale of the artist's work conducted by John Ross & Co.

There were some 200 lots in this auction, all without reserve, and the day's best price was £1,950 for a picture called Harlequin. Originally from near Lyons, Riboulet studied art at that city's Ecole Nationale des BeauxArts from 1902-1906. During the 1930s, he became an art teacher but settled in this country after marrying an Ulsterwoman, Elizabeth Brown. His landscape paintings fit well into the Irish tradition and show more than a passing resemblance to those of Paul Henry. Understandably, therefore, there was a ready market for his work during Riboulet's lifetime, and at last Wednesday's sale the pictures continued to sell well, with most prices for oils running between £700 and £300.