First Irish art sale at Bonhams

BONHAMS will hold its inaugural Irish Art Salein London next Wednesday. The auction should provide the first insight into the international demand for Irish art in 2011.

The sale will be closely watched as Bonhams has been promoting the sale internationally and claims to have many collectors seeking to acquire work by leading Irish artists.

Over 100 works, including paintings by Jack B Yeats, Sir John Lavery, William Conor and Gerard Dillon will go under the hammer at the New Bond Street saleroom.

A picture of, rather than by Francis Bacon, has been assigned the highest valuation.

Louis le Brocquy's watercolour, titled Image of Francis Bacon No 18,is estimated at £60,000to £80,000 (€71,000-€95,000). According to Penny Day, head of Irish Art at Bonhams, le Brocquy painted Bacon several times "trying to capture the Bacon-ness of Bacon".

She believes this example is more representational than the other semi-abstract pieces. But traditionalists seeking a picture that won't frighten the horses might be more tempted by the nostalgia of Frank McKelvey's A Sunlit Farmyard(£15,000-£20,000/ €18,000-€24,000) which shows a whitewashed cottage in Co Down. For bidding details and catalogue, see bonhams.com