Morgan O'Driscoll Irish & International Art Auction 30th April 2018 at 6pm

I RISH & I NTERNATIONAL A RT A UCTION M ONDAY 30 TH A PRIL 2018 AT 6.00 PM 65 Patrick Pye RHA ( - ) The Virgin of sT. John of The Cross (1953) signed lower left ‘Patrick Pye’ and dated Dec.1953 oil on board 92 x 46cm (36.22 x 18.11in) Provenance: Private Collection Patrick Pye, who died in February was the foremost Irish Catholic religious artist of the 20th century. Although he was a late convert to Catholicism, his faith was always at the heart of his work. He was inspired by the example of El Greco and pre-Renaissance, Catalan Romanesque art, and identified with early Byzantine sacred art. This exceptional painting from 1953 is a striking visualization of a verse by the 16th century Spanish mystic and cleric John of the Cross, still regarded as one of Spain’s greatest poets. His Christmas meditation on the Virgin reads: “The Virgin, weighed With the Word of God, Comes down the road: if only you will shelter her!” €2,000-4,000 (£1,739-3,478)