Tracking down the works of Sarah Purser

LAST month in this newspaper, Brian Fallon wrote of the very important role played by women in Ireland's artistic life over the past century, focusing particularly on Sarah Purser, who died in 1943. Purser's work, both as a painter and an organiser, was of enormous significance for more than 70 years in this country, thanks to her longevity (having been born in 1848) and unfailing energy and enthusiasm. These qualities are stressed in a newly-published biography of the artist written by Dr John O'Grady, a lecturer in the art history department of UCD.

Purser will be of interest to anyone concerned with the history of Irish art; her pictures are in many public collections, but she was also a driving force behind the establishment of the Hugh Lane Municipal Art Gallery and the very important Friends of the National Collections of Ireland.

Dr O'Grady's narrative duly emphasises her public life, but in addition - and of more immediate concern to collectors here - he includes a very thorough catalogue of some 554 works by Purser, including 11 sketch books.

This catalogue, with items listed chronologically, certainly has the appearance of being complete, although sadly a great many pictures are marked as unlocated at present. Sarah Purser was an inveterate portraitist and obviously some of these works would now be unidentified by heirs of the original subjects.

The catalogue could, therefore, encourage a revival of interest in Purser's art - even during the painter's lifetime, she had to organise her own solo exhibition at the age of 75 - and lead to examples of her work coming on the market, since not very much by her has been sold in the recent past. In addition to a detailed description of each picture, catalogue entries also include information on the medium, dimensions, provenance and current location (where known).

A considerable number of entries are also reproduced in black and white photographs, while the main body of the book, as well as further monochrome illustrations, has no less than 32 pages of colour reproductions. John O'Grady's monograph is another book which deserves a place in every Irish art history library. .