I
rish
& I
nternational
A
rt
A
uction
M
onday
5
th
D
ecember
2016
at
6.00
pm
49
47 Mary Swanzy HRHA (1882-1978) Fantastical FiguresMary Swanzy Studio Sale Stamp on reverse
oil on board
21 x 31cm (8 x 12in)
Provenance:
The Mary Swanzy Studio Sale, Christies, London, 10th May 2007 Lot 319;
Private Collection
€1,000-1,500 (£869-1,304)
Mary Swanzy was born in Dublin in 1882. Swanzy attended Alexandra College, Earlsfort Terrace, and finishing
school at the Lycée in Versailles, France, and a day school in Freiburg, Germany. This education meant that Swanzy
was fluent in French and German. She went on to take art classes at May Mannings’ studio, under the direction of
John Butler Yeats. Manning encouraged Swanzy to study modelling with John Hughes at the Dublin Metropolitan
School of Art. Swanzy’s first exhibition was with the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) in 1905 and she continued
to exhibit portraits every year until 1910. In 1905 she went to Paris, and worked at the Delacluse studio. She went
on to attend the studio of Antonio de La Gándara in 1906, and took classes at Académie de la Grande Chaumière
and Académie Colarossi. Whilst in Paris Swanzy was exposed to the works of Gauguin, Matisse, and Picasso, which
made a lasting impression on her. Unlike fellow Irish cubists Evie Hone and Mainie Jellett, she was not concerned
with traditional Irish art or themes, opting to foster her own distinctive style.