Self-portrait of AE, key figure of Irish culture

Although today best-known for the rather fey, symbolist-inspired paintings he produced in considerable quantities, George Russell deserves to be remembered for many other reasons.

A self-portrait, produced when he was in his mid-50s, is due to be sold by Adam's at the end of this month in Dublin, and shows he was capable of a much more muscular style when so inclined.

In fact, Russell's art almost entirely fails to convey the energy of its creator, who exercised his talents through a variety of media. As John Eglinton later wrote in a memoir of Russell, he "pullulated ideas". Born in Lurgan, Co Armagh in April 1867, at the age of 11 Russell moved to Dublin with his family. Shortly before his 13th birthday, he showed sufficient ability to begin attending evening classes at the Metropolitan School of Art; later he also spent time at the Royal Hibernian Academy's art school.

In addition, by his mid-teens he was experiencing the mystical visions which so interested W B Yeats when the two men later became friends. Yeats described the artist as "a mystic of mediaeval type".

Meanwhile, Russell had chosen to sign both his writings and paintings with the letters AE. This was an abbreviation of "aeon", the word members of the Gnostic sect had given to the first beings separated from the deity, and gives further evidence of Russell's deep interest in spiritual matters.

The same concern could be seen in the series of murals painted in 1892 on the walls of 3 Upper Ely Place in Dublin, where he lived for seven years as part of a vegetarian, celibate commune; Russell would later say these were the happiest years of his life.

He had very little money and worked during the day as a clerk at a drapery store, Pims of South Great George's Street, while spending his nights in mystic study. But he also managed to produce a book of poetry, Homeward: Songs by the Way published in 1895 and regarded by Yeats as Russells's best work; a second volume, Earth Breath followed two years later.

In April 1902 his play, in which he took the part of a druid, was staged in Dublin to great acclaim by the Fay brothers; he also designed the production's set and costumes.

By this time, Russell had joined the staff of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society (IAOS) at the request of Horace Plunkett and travelled by train and bicycle all over the country. But still he continued to paint, showing 44 pictures at the Leinster Lecture Hall on Molesworth Street in a joint exhibition with the Markieviczes.

Soon afterwards, he became involved with Hugh Lane's efforts to establish a gallery of modern art in Dublin while still employed by the IAOS. He painted a series of wall panels for the latter organisation in its Merrion Square headquarters and these were later presented to the National Gallery of Ireland.

These pictures almost all depict women and this is a common feature of Russell's art. Frequently they are bathing or dancing, and have a sense of movement, another Russell characteristic along with a palette in which soft pastel shades of pink, blue and lilac are found in abundance.

This is why the self-portrait being offered is of such interest. Its colouring is far stronger than usual for Russell, full of russet hues and equally striking is the clear definition of his features; as a rule, the figures he painted appear as though seen through a gently blurring veil.

Dating from 1923, this is indisputably a fine work of one of the most important figures in Irish cultural life during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Estimated to fetch between £15,000 and £20,000, the painting is included in a sale of Irish art being conducted by Adam's and Bonhams in Dublin on May 31st.