Irish art in Christie’s London auction

The Western Ocean by Jack B Yeats which sold at Christie’s London for €108,100

A 1942 painting by Jack B Yeats titled The Western Ocean, which depicts a man walking towards the village of Rosses Point in Co Sligo, sold for £86,500 (€108,100), in excess of the top estimate, at Christie's auction of British and Irish Art in London on Thursday.

The Ryanair heir Danielle Ryan had mixed luck when her two Paul Henry paintings went under the hammer: Thatched Cottages with Mountains Beyond sold for £32,500 (€40,613) within the estimate; but Peat Stacks which had a higher estimate, failed to sell.

A bronze bust of George Bernard Shaw by the English sculptor Sir Jacob Epstein, made £43,750 (€54,672).

A number of paintings by Sir John Lavery were offered: A portrait of ballerina Ana Pavlova as The Swan made £158,500 (€198,000); On The Clyde made £62,500 (€78,000); but the portrait of Miss Delphine Reynolds and her Sheltie failed to sell.