Jack B Yeats’ ‘The Boat Builder’ fetches €600,000

After modest results in recent London auctions at both Bonhams and Sotheby's, Irish art had a good night in London on Wednesday at Christie's "Modern British & Irish Art Evening Sale".

Four paintings by Irish artists went under the hammer and all sold. The top lot was The Boat Builder, a 1913 painting by Jack B Yeats that sold for £422,500 (approximately €600,000) within the estimate (£300,000- £500,000). The Maid was in the Garden Hanging out the Clothes by Sir John Lavery had a similar estimate but sold for £338,500.

The Village by the Lake, a classic west of Ireland mid-1920s painting by Paul Henry sold for £182,500 (£100,000-£150,000). Baigneuse à la mer, depicting a female nude bather, by Roderic O'Conor sold for £134,500 (£120,000-£180,000). All four paintings had been consigned from "an important private Irish collection".

The owner’s identity has not been revealed. In a post-auction comment, Christie’s said “Irish art was 100 per cent sold” and was “continuing to be well received by international collectors”.