William Conor Paintings & Artwork for Sale | William Conor Art Value Price Guide

Nov. 27, 2024
WILLIAM CONOR RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968)
Est: €6,000 - €9,000
Shawlie in the West. Pastel on card. Signed top right. Framed PICTURES AND PRINTS Wednesday 27th November 2024 Approximate Time 15:39:44
Sheppards
Oct. 22, 2024
William Conor, The Boxing Match
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
William Conor The Boxing Match crayon on paper 11 h x 16 w in (28 x 41 cm) Signed to lower right 'Conor'. Provenance: Sotheby's, London, The Irish Sale, 21 May 1998, Lot 454 | Private Collection | Private Collection This work will ship from Los Angeles, California.
Toomey & Co. Auctioneers
Sep. 30, 2024
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) COTTAGES NEAR BUNBEG, COUNTY DONEGAL
Est: €2,000 - €3,000
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) COTTAGES NEAR BUNBEG, COUNTY DONEGAL crayon signed lower right; inscribed on Trinity Gallery label and on exhibition label on reverse h:15.50 w:20 in.
Whyte's
Sep. 30, 2024
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) THE VARIETY MARKET, BELFAST
Est: €12,000 - €18,000
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) THE VARIETY MARKET, BELFAST oil on board signed upper left; with Bell Gallery label on reverse h:18 w:14 in. Provenance: Bell Gallery, Belfast; Private collection
Whyte's
Sep. 30, 2024
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) BY LOUGH BEAG, COUNTY ANTRIM
Est: €12,000 - €18,000
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) BY LOUGH BEAG, COUNTY ANTRIM oil on board signed lower left; inscribed on label on reverse h:16 w:20 in. Perhaps best known as the great artistic chronicler of working class life in Northern Ireland, William Conor apprenticed as a lithographer after leaving art school but was determined to be an artist. This exceptional work sees him in a notably sunny mood. The little lake of the title is north of the vast Lough Neagh. There is a small island on the lake, as there is in the middle distance of this painting. However, in reality the surrounding topography is rather less dramatic than the fine mountainous prospect that Conor paints here. That is not unusual for him: he was well known for making studies of figures (and animals) and keeping them until he found a background that he felt suited them. Given his lithographic training, it is not surprising that he was a technically skilled and adventurous painter, as well as being an outstanding draughtsman. He quickly mastered an authoritative, broad-brushed approach with oil, often with passages of impasto, that is very evident here. His treatment of the figure is a model of eloquent economy, and the background landscape, while far from Lough Neagh (it more closely resembles the West) is beautifully and sensitively painted, with finely judged colouring. Conor, a central figure in Belfast's cultural life for many decades, was an immensely capable and versatile artist who worked across a range of genres with ease, including portraiture and, especially, urban life and scenes. The Ulster Museum has a particularly good representative collection of his work. Aidan Dunne, September 2023
Whyte's
Jun. 26, 2024
§ William Conor OBE RHA PPRUA ROI (Irish, 1881–1968)
Est: £500 - £1,000
§ William Conor OBE RHA PPRUA ROI (Irish, 1881–1968) Portrait of an officer, 1916 signed lower right 'William Conor' and dated 1916 pastel, charcoal and pencil 61 x 41cm
Cheffins
May. 29, 2024
William Conor RUA RHA (1881 - 1968) Child on Hobby-Horse Wax crayon 36 x 26.5cm (14 ¼ x 10 ½) Signed; inscribed on artists label verso
Est: €1,000 - €1,500
William Conor RUA RHA (1881 - 1968) Child on Hobby-Horse Wax crayon 36 x 26.5cm (14 ¼ x 10 ½) Signed; inscribed on artists label verso
Adam's
May. 29, 2024
William Conor RUA RHA (1881 - 1968) Girl Scrubbing the Step Wax crayon 32 x 20cm (12 ½ x 8) Signed
Est: €1,000 - €1,500
William Conor RUA RHA (1881 - 1968) Girl Scrubbing the Step Wax crayon 32 x 20cm (12 ½ x 8) Signed
Adam's
May. 27, 2024
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) BEFORE THE CURTAIN RAISES, c. 1942
Est: €25,000 - €35,000
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) BEFORE THE CURTAIN RAISES, c. 1942 oil on canvas signed lower right; titled on label on reverse h:24 w:20 in. Provenance: Collection of Joe Loss OBE; Thence by descent Exhibited: RHA, Dublin, 1942, catalogue no. 36 The artist has assembled the audience in the Grand Circle at the Belfast Opera House during a Wartime Concert. Here, there is no sign of anything other than a happy expectation of musical entertainment and joy: aesthetically the artist has risked the numbers involved contained in the Circle whilst allowing the foreground figures to be anchored by scarves and bits and pieces thus preventing the eye from sliding out of the composition. His early poster training taught him how to 'off centre' the principal or rely on dynamic asymmetry so that he (the artist) keeps control of the entire composition. Risky, but he made it work as well as stopping the eye from sliding 'off centre' by the device of the standing figures mid image. And he created that sense of anticipation with which all theatrical occasions are imbued. The details which are 'foregrounded' by the artist introduce us (the viewer) to our sense of impending enjoyment. War (for now) forgotten and the anticipated fun about to commence. And, like those 17th Century artists, audiences are being noted by a painter in the same way. Somewhere in his mind's eye, the artist also, I think, remembered Valasquez's nearly chiaroscuro compositions of 'light into dark' for some of his effects. 'A War' picture if you like but not that either, just people carrying on their daily doings postponing War thoughts for the Musical Arts. A testament of Life to be enjoyed and passed down to us likewise. Note: Joe Loss acquired this work on one of his many Ulster trips, possibly reminding himself of many a similar occasion in Belfast. Joshua Alexander "Joe" Loss LVO OBE (1909 - 1990) was an extremely popular British dance band leader and musician who founded his own eponymous orchestra. He was made an OBE for musical services but the late Queen also made him a Member of Her Royal Order, which was her own decision being her reserved function and not a Civil Service or Government response. Ciarán MacGonigal May 2024
Whyte's
May. 27, 2024
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) THE WHIRL OF THE DANCE
Est: €20,000 - €30,000
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) THE WHIRL OF THE DANCE oil on canvas signed lower left; titled on artist's handwritten label on reverse h:20 w:24 in. Provenance: Presented by Mr Rehill, Coal Merchant, to R. M. Smyllie; By descent to T. Sheehan, nephew of R. M. Smyllie; Private collection Exhibited: RHA, Dublin, 1956, catalogue no. 82 (lent by Mrs K. Smyllie); Memorial Screen, RHA, Dublin, 1968, no. 1 This Belfast artist had an extraordinary capacity to produce AND contain movement in his compositions. Allied to his early training as a Poster Artist for David Allen & Co with his unique vision, his skill with movement and domestic detail is not unlike the 17th century Dutch artists who essayed the same themes and often sidebar humour. Conor disguised his real pictorial delivery by making accessible through domestic imagery the mood as well as the preoccupations of the Ulster people. But he did so knowing that so much of what he imagined for us, his viewers was also known, if unobserved, by us. So, he brought it into view or, if you will, foregrounded it for and to his audience. His almost unique technical skill in mixing oil pigment with wax, water colour and the lead pencil has given us vivid creations of memories, movement, vivacity and so often great charm. Here, in this work, of a ‘Ceilí‘ in the kitchen of a farmhouse the dancers exude fun, energy and happiness, the traditional musician plays out his heart for dancers as well as onlookers to create a conspiracy of happiness and joy. John Reihill senior and R.M. Smyllie the famous editor of the Irish Times would both have enjoyed the giving and receiving of this charming and evocative painting. It will long continue to delight its viewers. I can remember my father as Keeper and later President of the RHA remarking after the Ulster Artists works arrived and being unpacked some members of the ‘hanging’ sub-committee absenting themselves to call pals to say that the Conor works had arrived, and they’d best be into the RHA Varnishing or Opening days early to purchase. I think I only met him once, briefly, with Frank McKelvey RHA at an Opening Day. My Mother had acquired two smallish works by him of ‘Musicians’. Alas they went missing in one of our many house movings. Ciarán MacGonigal May 2024
Whyte's
Mar. 27, 2024
William Conor RUA RHA (1881 - 1968) Collecting Turf Wax crayon, 40 x 29cm (15¾ x 10½) Signed
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
William Conor RUA RHA (1881 - 1968) Collecting Turf Wax crayon, 40 x 29cm (15¾ x 10½) Signed
Adam's
Mar. 27, 2024
William Conor RUA RHA (1881 - 1968) Washing The Step Indian ink and crayon, 36 x 26cm (14 x 10¼) Signed
Est: €2,000 - €3,000
William Conor RUA RHA (1881 - 1968) Washing The Step Indian ink and crayon, 36 x 26cm (14 x 10¼) Signed
Adam's
Mar. 11, 2024
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) SINGERS
Est: €4,000 - €6,000
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) SINGERS crayon signed lower left h:14.75 w:17.50 in.
Whyte's
Mar. 11, 2024
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) READING, 1907
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) READING, 1907 crayon signed lower right; with typed Bell Gallery label on reverse h:13 w:9.50 in. Provenance: Bell Gallery, Belfast; Private collection
Whyte's
Dec. 06, 2023
William Conor RUA RHA (1881-1968) Banks of the Lagan Watercolour, 37 x 48cm (14½ x 18¾'') Signed
Est: €1,000 - €2,000
William Conor RUA RHA (1881-1968) Banks of the Lagan Watercolour, 37 x 48cm (14½ x 18¾'') Signed
Adam's
Dec. 06, 2023
William Conor RHA RUA (1844-1968) The Currach in the West Oil on canvas board, 43 x 48.5cm (17 x 19) Signed Provenance: The McClelland Collection and on loan to IMMA from 1999 to 2004. Exhibited: Dublin, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Sept 200
Est: €30,000 - €40,000
William Conor RHA RUA (1844-1968) The Currach in the West Oil on canvas board, 43 x 48.5cm (17 x 19) Signed Provenance: The McClelland Collection and on loan to IMMA from 1999 to 2004. Exhibited: Dublin, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Sept 2000 - Jan 2001. Selected Works from the McCelland Collection Literature: The Hunter Gattherer - The Collection of George and Maura McCelland at the Irish Museum of Modern Art Fig 19, full page illustration P. 33 The early training in the art of the poster and the technical influences of poster art images as understood by the artist are important elements in his creation of an image, and its technical delivery. His periods of work and study in West Kerry on the Blaskets and its vivid culture in the early 20th century lends extra force to what was said of him that, if folk culture and its songs could be translated into painting then this Belfast painter would be a singer of those songs. Making a play on the old man rowing the currach and the young girls, young women in the making, like so much of his work, the foreground composition is dominant, with the suggestivo of the background setting and capturing the moment. The artists capacity to distil a middle distance in a manner learned from his early poster days, the mountain in the background gives the balance and atmosphere to this charming work. The leading edge of the currach, and the oars bring the eye into the composition in a very dynamic way, whose visual speed is arrested by the upright of the male figure and the more serpentine line of the two girls, one of whom is more casually posed to look back at us with that laughing glance which is so typical of his work and conveys great tranquillity and happiness, a moment seen and never forgotten from long ago. Age and Youth, time passing and a wonderful landscape all distil so much of this artists best works. Ciarán MacGonigal
Adam's
Dec. 06, 2023
William Conor RUA RHA (1881-1968) The Flax Gatherers Wax crayon, 49 x 38cm (19¼ x 15'') Signed Provenance: With the Bell Gallery, Belfast label verso.
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
William Conor RUA RHA (1881-1968) The Flax Gatherers Wax crayon, 49 x 38cm (19¼ x 15'') Signed Provenance: With the Bell Gallery, Belfast label verso.
Adam's
Dec. 06, 2023
William Conor, PRUA, RHA, ROI (1881-1968) Girl Reading Pastel, 44.5 x 32cm (18 x 12½) Signed
Est: €3,000 - €4,000
William Conor, PRUA, RHA, ROI (1881-1968) Girl Reading Pastel, 44.5 x 32cm (18 x 12½) Signed
Adam's
Dec. 04, 2023
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) TONIGHT WE DANCE
Est: €1,500 - €2,000
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) TONIGHT WE DANCE crayon signed lower right; titled on reverse h:9 w:7 in.
Whyte's
Nov. 22, 2023
Turf Gatherers
Est: £4,000 - £6,000
William Conor, R.H.A., P.R.U.A. 1881 - 1968 Turf Gatherers signed William Conor (lower left) charcoal and pastel on paper unframed (sheet): 54.5 by 43cm.; 21½ by 17in. framed: 70.5 by 58cm.; 27¾ by 22¾in.
Sotheby's
Oct. 11, 2023
William Conor Exhibition Catalogue October 1968. Illustrated and Brian Fall
Est: €50 - €80
William Conor Exhibition Catalogue October 1968. Illustrated and Brian Fallon. Tony 0'Malley -Painter in Exile. 1984. Illustrated, Quarto (2)
Purcell Auctioneers
Oct. 02, 2023
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) BY LOUGH BEAG, COUNTY ANTRIM
Est: €15,000 - €20,000
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) BY LOUGH BEAG, COUNTY ANTRIM oil on board signed lower left; inscribed on label on reverse h:16 w:20 in. Perhaps best known as the great artistic chronicler of working class life in Northern Ireland, William Conor apprenticed as a lithographer after leaving art school but was determined to be an artist. This exceptional work sees him in a notably sunny mood. The little lake of the title is north of the vast Lough Neagh. There is a small island on the lake, as there is in the middle distance of this painting. However, in reality the surrounding topography is rather less dramatic than the fine mountainous prospect that Conor paints here. That is not unusual for him: he was well known for making studies of figures (and animals) and keeping them until he found a background that he felt suited them. Given his lithographic training, it is not surprising that he was a technically skilled and adventurous painter, as well as being an outstanding draughtsman. He quickly mastered an authoritative, broad-brushed approach with oil, often with passages of impasto, that is very evident here. His treatment of the figure is a model of eloquent economy, and the background landscape, while far from Lough Neagh (it more closely resembles the West) is beautifully and sensitively painted, with finely judged colouring. Conor, a central figure in Belfast's cultural life for many decades, was an immensely capable and versatile artist who worked across a range of genres with ease, including portraiture and, especially, urban life and scenes. The Ulster Museum has a particularly good representative collection of his work. Aidan Dunne, September 2023
Whyte's
Sep. 27, 2023
William Conor RHA PRUA (1884 - 1968) Mother and Child Watercolour and crayon, 19.7 x 15.8cm (7¾ x 6¼) Signed twice Provenance: Sale, Christies, London, 'The Irish Sale', 17th May 2001, lot 128
Est: €1,000 - €1,500
William Conor RHA PRUA (1884 - 1968) Mother and Child Watercolour and crayon, 19.7 x 15.8cm (7¾ x 6¼) Signed twice Provenance: Sale, Christies, London, 'The Irish Sale', 17th May 2001, lot 128
Adam's
Sep. 27, 2023
William Conor RUA RHA (1881 - 1968) A Family Group in a Railway Station Wax crayon on paper, 37 x 47cm (14½ x 18½) Signed Provenance: Dr Kurt Ticher, purchased directly from the artist, thence by descent. William Conor, who was
Est: €10,000 - €15,000
William Conor RUA RHA (1881 - 1968) A Family Group in a Railway Station Wax crayon on paper, 37 x 47cm (14½ x 18½) Signed Provenance: Dr Kurt Ticher, purchased directly from the artist, thence by descent. William Conor, who was born in Belfast in 1881, is certainly best known for his scenes of everyday life, particularly but not exclusively in his native city. He studied at the Belfast College of Art and by 1904 he was working on poster design as a lithographer. This training appears to have had a sustained impact on his work throughout his career, producing copious paintings and drawings which recorded the lives and activities of the working people of Belfast. The present work depicts a scene in a railway station with three generations of women and small children about to enjoy a train trip out of the city. The smiling faces convey a happy group while the children wait in anticipation. Conor carried a notebook with him at all times which he could use to note down any happening which strikes me as interesting and significant. Conor added that by hiding his sketching block behind a newspaper he had been able to garner many happy expressions as is the case here where the subjects appear unaware that they are being observed. Conor began exhibiting at Dublins Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibitions from 1918 and a review of the titles provides a snap-shot of this artists favourite subjects - Mill-workers, The Street Singers, The Knife Grinder, The Jaunting Car, The Singing Class and the 1939 work entitled Waiting for the Excursion Train which on the basis of the subject of the present work, could as easily be the title of this work.
Adam's
Sep. 26, 2023
WILLIAM CONOR RHA (1881-1968)
Est: €300 - €500
Three huddled figures. Charcoal. Signed lower right. Framed. Approximate Time: 14:54 Lot 325
Sheppards
Jun. 27, 2023
A William Conor print (18811968), "The Hurley Players." Original circa 1948. 54x46cm
Est: -
A William Conor print (18811968), "The Hurley Players." Original circa 1948. 54x46cm
Laganside Auctions
Jun. 27, 2023
A William Conor print (1884-1968), "The Jaunting Car," (number 1). 52x43cm
Est: -
A William Conor print (1884-1968), "The Jaunting Car," (number 1). 52x43cm
Laganside Auctions
Jun. 06, 2023
WILLIAM CONOR, RHA PRUA, IRISH 1881-1968 - GRANDMOTHER AND CHILD; OIL PASTEL, PASTEL, PENCIL AN
Est: £1,500 - £2,000
William Conor, RHA PRUA, Irish 1881-1968 - Grandmother and Child; oil pastel, pastel, pencil and charcoal on paper, signed upper right 'Conor', 29.5 x 24 cm (ARR) Provenance: George McClelland Collection and thence by descent
Roseberys
May. 31, 2023
William Conor RHA RUA (1881-1968) Race Day Indian ink and colour wash, 23 x 18.5cm (9 x 7¼) Signed Provenance: With George McClelland, Belfast, 1968, where purchased by the present owner
Est: €800 - €1,200
William Conor RHA RUA (1881-1968) Race Day Indian ink and colour wash, 23 x 18.5cm (9 x 7¼) Signed Provenance: With George McClelland, Belfast, 1968, where purchased by the present owner
Adam's
May. 31, 2023
William Conor RUA RHA (1881-1968) 'The Launch' (Shipbuilders at Harland & Wolff, Belfast) Wax crayon, 35.5 x 26cm (14 x 10¼) Signed
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
William Conor RUA RHA (1881-1968) 'The Launch' (Shipbuilders at Harland & Wolff, Belfast) Wax crayon, 35.5 x 26cm (14 x 10¼) Signed
Adam's
May. 31, 2023
William Conor RUA RHA (1881-1968) Ladies Race Day Pastel, 36 x 26.5cm (14¼ x 10½) Signed Provenance: With George McClelland, Belfast 1968, from whom purchased by the present owner
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
William Conor RUA RHA (1881-1968) Ladies Race Day Pastel, 36 x 26.5cm (14¼ x 10½) Signed Provenance: With George McClelland, Belfast 1968, from whom purchased by the present owner
Adam's
Apr. 19, 2023
A William Conor (1884-1968) print of "The Jaunting Car." 55x47cm
Est: -
A William Conor (1884-1968) print of "The Jaunting Car." 55x47cm
Laganside Auctions
Apr. 18, 2023
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Horse Fair
Est: €10,000 - €15,000
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Horse Fair wax crayon on paper signed 'Conor' top right h:46 w:36.50 cm. Provenance: Artist's Studio Label verso; The Eakin Gallery, Belfast; Private Collection From the outset of his career, William Conor was interested in fairs and animals. While studying at the Government School of Design (now the Belfast College of Art) he made sketching visits to "Johnson's Horse Repository" in University Road, Belfast, where horses were looked after and stabled. Throughout his career Conor drew on his knowledge of equine anatomy, depicting horses paraded at country horse fairs-and even during the annual Horse Show, held at the RDS in Dublin. As with most of Conor's paintings and drawings, his focus is on the enjoyment being derived by those present, as much as on the main subject. In this view of horses being paraded at a town fair, he shows onlookers chatting and admiring the turnout. The location is not identified, nor is there information about the people depicted. They are the ordinary country people and townsfolk of Ireland, taking part in an age-old tradition--the horse fair held at Ballinasloe is reckoned to be one of the oldest in Europe, and horses were an integral part of life and economy, both in town and countryside. Conor often depicted people travelling, by horse or donkey cart; there is an important collection of his works in the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. After beginning his career as a commercial artist and lithographer, during World War I Conor received a commission to paint portraits of soldiers and others involved in the war effort. By 1920, he had moved to London, where his work was promoted by a fellow-Belfast artist, portrait painter John Lavery. Two years later, Conor was recommended by Lavery for another prestigious commission, to record on canvas the ceremonial opening of Parliament in Northern Ireland. Over the following decades, he received regular commissions to paint portraits of judges, politicians, aristocrats and army officers. However, today Conor is better known for his depictions of the ordinary working people of Belfast and its surroundings; the shipbuilders, labourers, street musicians and washerwomen who struggled to maintain a livelihood, often in conditions of adversity. He painted shoppers in Belfast, their umbrellas raised to protect against driving rain, itinerant workers trudging along the road, and children playing in the street. Yet in spite of the hardships they faced, these people are depicted by Conor as resolute, smiling and cheerful, and the perennial popularity of his art is based largely on the respect he showed for people from all walks of life. Peter Murray, March 2023
Morgan O'Driscoll
Mar. 06, 2023
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) FIR TREES, CAVEHILL, COUNTY ANTRIM
Est: €1,000 - €1,500
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) FIR TREES, CAVEHILL, COUNTY ANTRIM crayon signed lower right; with title printed on mount h:17 w:13.50 in.
Whyte's
Mar. 01, 2023
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (18811968) The Twelfth Charcoal and pastel on paper, 45 x 55cm (17¾ x 21½) Signed
Est: €5,000 - €8,000
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (18811968) The Twelfth Charcoal and pastel on paper, 45 x 55cm (17¾ x 21½) Signed
Adam's
Feb. 15, 2023
William Conor RHA, RA (1881 - 1968) 'Man In Flat Cap,' crayon, approx. 20cms x 15cms (8" x 6")
Est: €400 - €600
William Conor RHA, RA (1881 - 1968) 'Man In Flat Cap,' crayon, approx. 20cms x 15cms (8" x 6") signed lower left 'Conor', mounted and framed. (1) Note: The character in this study appears to be the same character as that in 'Over the Bridge' and 'Men of the Home Front,' the latter being in the Ulster Museum Collection.
Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers
Feb. 15, 2023
William Conor; The Irish Scene, first edition HB, illustrated copiously by artist William Conor, Der
Est: €80 - €100
William Conor; The Irish Scene, first edition HB, illustrated copiously by artist William Conor, Derrick MacCord 1944 (very scarce)
Purcell Auctioneers
Dec. 07, 2022
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (18811968) Young Boy by a Window Pastel, 48 x 36cm (19 x 14¼) Signed
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (18811968) Young Boy by a Window Pastel, 48 x 36cm (19 x 14¼) Signed
Adam's
Nov. 28, 2022
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) FIREMEN, AFTER THE BLITZ, BELFAST
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) FIREMEN, AFTER THE BLITZ, BELFAST crayon signed lower right h:18.50 w:12.50 in.
Whyte's
Nov. 16, 2022
William Conor, OBE, RHA, RUA (1881-1968) "Studies of seated Gentlemen," pen and crayon, approx.
Est: €400 - €600
William Conor, OBE, RHA, RUA (1881-1968) "Studies of seated Gentlemen," pen and crayon, approx. 12cms x 20cms (5" x 8"), signed lower left. (1)
Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers
Nov. 08, 2022
William Conor R.H.A., R.U.A. (Irish, 1881-1968) Young girl with a baby in a blue shawl
Est: £1,000 - £1,500
William Conor R.H.A., R.U.A. (Irish, 1881-1968) Young girl with a baby in a blue shawl Chalk pastel and charcoal Signed 34cm x 27cm Artist Resale Right may apply
The Pedestal
Sep. 28, 2022
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) Smiling Girl Pastel, 13 x 9.5cm (5 x 3¾) Signed Provenance: The Bell Gallery, Belfast, label verso.
Est: €800 - €1,200
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) Smiling Girl Pastel, 13 x 9.5cm (5 x 3¾) Signed Provenance: The Bell Gallery, Belfast, label verso.
Adam's
Sep. 28, 2022
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Farm Gate Wax crayon and charcoal, 45 x 36cm (17¾ x 14'') Signed twice
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Farm Gate Wax crayon and charcoal, 45 x 36cm (17¾ x 14'') Signed twice
Adam's
Sep. 28, 2022
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Fiddler Pastel on paper, 38.5 x 28cm (15¼ x 11) Signed
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Fiddler Pastel on paper, 38.5 x 28cm (15¼ x 11) Signed
Adam's
Apr. 26, 2022
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Turf Gatherer
Est: €1,500 - €2,500
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Turf Gatherer wax crayon signed top right h:27.50 w:19.50 cm. Provenance: Private Collection
Morgan O'Driscoll
Apr. 26, 2022
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Heart's Blessing
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Heart's Blessing wax crayon on paper signed top left h:36 w:26.20 cm. Provenance: Collection of Cecil Maguire; Private Collection William Conor's depictions of mothers and children, and of scenes of ordinary life in his native Belfast, are both an endearing, and an enduring, legacy of one of Ireland's best-loved artists of the twentieth century. In this drawing in oil crayon, a woman leans over, embracing a bright-eyed child dressed in a little pinafore. The young child is standing on a chair, and the woman's embrace is also supportive, with the child placing her small hand over that of the adult, in a gesture of trust. The title of the work, The Heart's Blessing, does not specify if this is a mother and child. It could well be a nanny or housemaid, looking after her young charge. Conor was interested in capturing a sense of community. He delighted in painting children, playing on streets, and in houses and churches, smiling, dancing and laughing. Dating probably from the 1930's, The Heart's Blessing depicts a tender moment in a child's life. The texture and quality of the crayon used in this drawing suggests it is a lithographic crayon, and indeed Conor, who was born in Belfast in 1881, initially trained as a lithographer and designer at the Belfast College of Art. During WWI, he received an important commission, to paint portraits of soldiers and others involved in the war effort. By 1920, he had moved to London, where his work was promoted by a fellow-Belfast artist, John Lavery. In 1922, Conor was recommended by Lavery for another major commission, to record the ceremonial opening of Parliament in Northern Ireland, and over the following decades, he was asked to paint portraits of judges, politicians, aristocrats and army officers. However, today Conor is far better known for his depictions of ordinary working people in Belfast and its surroundings; shipbuilders, labourers, street musicians and washerwomen who struggled to maintain a livelihood, often in conditions of adversity. His paintings form a visual social history of the time, in town and country, with shoppers, itinerant workers trudging along the road, people gossiping and mothers and their children. Peter Murray, March 2022
Morgan O'Driscoll
Apr. 13, 2022
William Conor R.H.A., R.U.A. (Irish, 1881-1968) Portrait of a Lady in a Shawl
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
William Conor R.H.A., R.U.A. (Irish, 1881-1968) Portrait of a Lady in a Shawl signed 'W/Conor' (upper left) oil on canvas 38.5 x 30.5cm (15 3/16 x 12in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Bonhams
Dec. 08, 2021
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Farm Gate Wax crayon and charcoal, 45 x 36cm (17¾ x 14'') Signed twice
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
William Conor RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968) The Farm Gate Wax crayon and charcoal, 45 x 36cm (17¾ x 14'') Signed twice
Adam's