Sir, - I am writing the biography, and preparing a major exhibition, of the Irish American illustrator and painter Aloysius O'Kelly (born Dublin 1853). O'Kelly did a remarkable series of illustrations on the Irish Land War for the Illustrated London News in the early 1880s, and was an accomplished painter of Irish, French and North African subjects, finally emigrating to New York in 1895. Aloysius was the brother of James J. O'Kelly (1845-1916), journalist with The New York Herald, MP for North Roscommon and a staunch Parnell supporter.
O'Kelly is undoubtedly one of the most interesting Irish artists of his time but, due to the lack of biographical and catalogue detail, greatly undervalued in both historical, aesthetic and commercial terms.
A number of his most interesting paintings are unaccounted for and may, knowingly or otherwise he in private hands. I am appealing to your readers who may have knowledge of the family background, of Aloysius himself or of his paintings, for which any assistance would be most gratefully and if required, confidentially, treated. Yours, etc.,
Lecturer in Art History
National College of
Art & Design,
100 Thomas Street,
Dublin 8.