Yeats art returns to ‘spiritual home’
A wealthy art collector is loaning his £200,000 body of artworks from the recent Yeats Family sale at Sothebys to the Model Niland Gallery.
The collector, who wishes to remain private, bought previously unseen portraits specifically with the Model in mind.
“That was to the fore of his mind. He’s a big Yeats collector. He felt very strongly that Sligo was the spiritual home and that’s why he wanted them to come to Sligo,” said Model Niland Acting Director Emer McGarry.
The paintings and drawings include John Butler Yeats’ masterpiece Self Portrait, New York, as well as significant portraits by the artist of his accomplished children William, Susan, Elizabeth and Jack.
“The loan features special portraits of both Jack and William by their father, portraits of their grandparents William and Elizabeth Pollexfen, and of their uncle George Pollexfen,” said Emer.
“We’ve never seen their faces before so it’s amazing for Sligo to show these really important people in the Yeats’ family for the first time,” she said.
The gift also includes the donation of nine of Jack Butler Yeats model boats and a very special wooden travelling case lined with Jack’s own original watercolour drawings, also from the family sale.
This was handed over immediately after sale to the Model and is already on exhibition there (see top photo).
“We are delighted with the generous gift of Jack Butler Yeats’ model boats and travelling case – these items will enable us to bring the Yeats Family story to life for the children of Sligo in the years ahead,” said Emer.
“This is a significant acquisition for Sligo’s municipal collection. It’s a fantastic body of work and will perfectly complement Sligo’s existing Yeats holding within The Niland Collection.
“Given the recent concern that these paintings, particularly the John Butler Yeats masterpiece, would be dispersed, possibly abroad, we are delighted that they will be made available to the Irish public through The Niland Collection.
“We are grateful to the private collector who has made this most generous gesture,” she added.
The works, which are joining The Niland Collection on a long-term loan (“at least five years initially”), will be featured in a special exhibition at The Model entitled Portrait of a Family from 19 th May - 19 th August 2018.
“We put this exhibition together when we heard about the acquisition,” Emer told The Sligo Champion.
The nine model boats, along with the wooden storage case decorated with watercolour drawings by Jack B Yeats, is on view until Sunday 22 April as part of Turbulence.