Sotheby’s hopes to woo Irish buyers by showing in Dublin and Belfast next week, ahead of its art auction in London

THE RESULT OF the public vote, organised by RTÉ, to find Ireland’s favourite painting will be announced by President Michael D Higgins on May 24th.

A Connemara Village by Paul Henry – one of the 10 shortlisted pictures – is evidently a strong contender and was the clear winner (with 23 per cent of votes) in the first snap-shot poll taken by Brendan O’Connor among his Saturday Night Show studio audience last weekend.

While public taste is debatable, there’s no arguing with the market. Paintings by Paul Henry – generally variations on the same theme of west of Ireland landscapes featuring blue mountains, cloudy skies, stacks of brown turf and thatched, whitewashed cottages – are perennial auction house favourites.

Buyers regard them as good investments and seem confident that the paintings’ nostalgic appeal will endure.

So the prospect of no fewer than four paintings by Henry in a single auction is likely to attract much interest. All four – led by A Connaught Fishing Village with an estimate of £120,000-£180,000 (€144,000-€216,000) – go under the hammer in London at Sotheby’s British and Irish art auction on May 10th.

The Irish section will be on view at Sotheby’s offices, first in Dublin and then in Belfast next week, ahead of the London auction.

Other highlights include paintings by three other artists who made the RTÉ top 10: Jack B Yeats, Roderic O’Conor and Louis le Brocquy.

Sir William Orpen didn’t make the national broadcaster’s shortlist of favourite paintings but his Portrait of Rose, Fourth Marchioness of Headfort is the top lot at Sotheby’s with a price tag of £300,000-£500,000 (€360,000- €600,000).

Rose Boote was a music-hall star in Edwardian London who married the Co Meath aristocrat, Geoffrey, Fourth Marquis of Headfort – a match which delighted and scandalised high society. Orpen, who was born in Stillorgan, Co Dublin, was famous for his portraits of “beauties”.

Among other highlights are two paintings depicting scenes in Co Mayo by James Arthur O’Connor (1792-1841): A View of Fin Lough and Delphi Lodge £30,000-£50,000 (€36,000-€60,000) and A Mountain Road in Mayo £15,000-£25,000 (€18,000-€30,000).

Viewing at Sotheby’s, Molesworth Street, Dublin, on Tuesday and Wednesday (April 24th and 25th) and in the Waterfront Hall, Belfast, on Friday and Saturday (April 27th and 28th)