First Dublin art sales of autumn lack dash

The first art auctions of Dublin's autumn season were noticeably lacking in top-quality lots. At Whyte's in the RDS on Monday evening, the top price was achieved for a watercolour Le Courtisan Grotesque by the Spanish artist Joan Miró, which made €68,000 (€60,000-€80,000), while the top Irish lot was a portrait, Lady in Green (Mrs Cara H) by John Lavery €30,000 (€20,000-€30,000).

Among the casualties that failed to sell were Paul Henry's In the West of Ireland (€45,000-€55,000) and an indescribably ugly 1971 painting by Louis le Brocquy titled Head (With Spectacles) (€25,000- €35,000).

At de Vere's auction in Bewley's Hotel, Ballsbridge, on Tuesday, the top lot was The Viscountess Castlerosse, Palm Springs, 1938 by Sir John Lavery which made €50,000 (€50,000-€70,000). Summer by Daniel O'Neill made €32,000 (€30,000-€50,000) and Cottages in the West by Paul Henry €20,000 (€20,000-€30,000), but Peace by Mainie Jellett (€20,000- €30,000) failed to sell.

At Adam's, on Wednesday evening, Study after the Tipperary Hurler a charcoal drawing by artist Seán Keating of his own famous painting of the same subject made almost double the high estimate and sold for €9,200 (€3,000- €5,000); A Rose by Jack B Yeats €44,000 (€40,000- €60,000) and a watercolour, Cattle in a Summer Pasture with Wild Flowers by Mildred Anne Butler, €7,000 (€4,000- €6,000). All three Roderic O'Conor paintings, late of the collection at Deepwell, failed to sell.