The pre-auction estimate for both works is £60,000–£80,000 (approximately RMB 624,000–832,000), coming from two private collectors in the United Kingdom and Canada.
Jack Butler Yeats' oil painting on board, "The Return from the Island," created in 1919, depicts two currachs (a type of boat made from animal skins or canvas tied to a frame of willow) braving the stormy seas and safely returning to port. Yeats is one of the most important artists of 20th-century Ireland and the first Irish painter to sell a single work for over £1 million (approximately RMB 10.4 million).
Although Yeats was not politically active, he was a strong supporter of the Irish republican cause. He is the brother of William Butler Yeats, the 1923 Nobel Prize winner in Literature. As a leading artist in Ireland, Yeats did not take on any students and did not allow anyone to observe his creative process.
Paul Henry R.H.A.'s canvas oil painting, "Sailing Boats at Sea," was completed in 1936 and is signed "Paul Henry" in the lower left corner.
Paul Henry's landscape paintings are known for their sketch-like style, complemented by open backgrounds. He is considered one of the earliest Impressionist artists in Ireland and a benchmark for Irish landscape painting.
Penny Day, head of Irish art at Bonhams, stated: "We are very honored to have the opportunity to present such outstanding works by a leading Irish artist. Both works feature maritime themes and are participating in an auction for the first time."
The pre-auction exhibition will be held from May 11–14 at the Bonhams Dublin Gallery located on Molesworth Street.