Beschreibung:

Estella Solomons HRHA (1882-1968) Portrait of the artist's sister Sophie reclining in the studio Oil on canvas, 55 x 68cm (22 x 27") Provenance: The artist's family by descent. Estella Solomons attended the Royal Hibernian Academy schools under Walter Osborne, and entered the Metropolitan School of Art, where she was a pupil of William Orpen In 1904 she spent a summer working in the mornings drawing at Colorossi's in Paris. In 1906 she visited the Rembrandt tercentenary exhibition in Amsterdam, which was a significant event for her. The chiaroscuro in her early portraits, and her interest in etching was adopted from the Dutch master, and like Rembrandt put emphasis on seeking the inner person. This portrait was possibly painted in her studios at Brunswick Street in the heart of the city, where she was ready at any moment to shelter republicans on the run, herself a member of Cumann na mBan, where she had become versed in signaling and prepared for administering first aid to any republicans that needed it. The list of those who sat for their portraits in her famous studio is a lengthy one, and includes Thomas Bodkin, Jack B Yeats, Padraic Colum and Seamus O' Kelly. Seamus O'Sullivan described her studio in The Rose and Bottle; ...The tall press, on which were printed those etchings of old Dublin, so prized by collectors: the curtain which veiled the 'throne'; the boxes, with their cushion covers, which made such pleasant seats about the fire on wintry days and nights.... In 1958, Seamus died, and life became quiet for Estella in her remaining ten years. Although she was crippled with arthritis, though half-bent her tall body now was, she received close friends such as Kathleen Goodfellow to 'The Grove' on Morehampton Road, where tea, sandwiches and freshly baked scones were served and discussions of art, poetry, literature and politics continued to be an important part of her life. Estella Solomons HRHA (1882-1968) Portrait of the artist's sister Sophie reclining in the studio Oil on canvas, 55 x 68cm (22 x 27") Provenance: The artist's family by descent. Estella Solomons attended the Royal Hibernian Academy schools under Walter Osborne, and entered the Metropolitan School of Art, where she was a pupil of William Orpen In 1904 she spent a summer working in the mornings drawing at Colorossi's in Paris. In 1906 she visited the Rembrandt tercentenary exhibition in Amsterdam, which was a significant event for her. The chiaroscuro in her early portraits, and her interest in etching was adopted from the Dutch master, and like Rembrandt put emphasis on seeking the inner person. This portrait was possibly painted in her studios at Brunswick Street in the heart of the city, where she was ready at any moment to shelter republicans on the run, herself a member of Cumann na mBan, where she had become versed in signaling and prepared for administering first aid to any republicans that needed it. The list of those who sat for their portraits in her famous studio is a lengthy one, and includes Thomas Bodkin, Jack B Yeats, Padraic Colum and Seamus O' Kelly. Seamus O'Sullivan described her studio in The Rose and Bottle; ...The tall press, on which were printed those etchings of old Dublin, so prized by collectors: the curtain which veiled the 'throne'; the boxes, with their cushion covers, which made such pleasant seats about the fire on wintry days and nights.... In 1958, Seamus died, and life became quiet for Estella in her remaining ten years. Although she was crippled with arthritis, though half-bent her tall body now was, she received close friends such as Kathleen Goodfellow to 'The Grove' on Morehampton Road, where tea, sandwiches and freshly baked scones were served and discussions of art, poetry, literature and politics continued to be an important part of her life.