An increasing demand for work by Irish artists in recent years is reflected in a major sale at Sotheby's in London.
One of the most significant works, 'Travelling Woman with Newspaper' by Louis le Brocquy, is expected to fetch over £300,000 when it goes to auction. This is the sixth annual Irish art sale to be held at Sotheby's.
Sotheby's claim it's the most important Irish modernist painting ever to appear at auction.
Mark Adams, Sotheby's, describes the Louis le Brocquy painting as a milestone in Irish art. Louis le Brocquy had trained as a painter in Europe in the 1930s. This work demonstrates what he had learned and applied to an Irish context.
Also in the auction is 'The Women of the West' by Jack B Yeats which could go for up to half a million pounds. At the Sotheby's Irish art sale last year, a Yeats painting sold for £1.3 million.
Mark Adams says that demand for Irish art is strong and the Irish art auction has grown year on year.
Many of the paintings up for auction were discovered outside Ireland. A painting by John Lavery was found in Pakistan. It is estimated that around three quarters of the works for sale will find new homes back in Ireland.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 17 May 2000. The reporter is Brian O'Connell.
