Erskine Nicol ARA RSA (1825-1904) Insolvent (1862) Oil on canvas, 51 x 66cm (20.1x26'') Signed Exhibited: The Royal Academy London 1863 Cat. No. 66 Literature: ''Irish Rural Interiors'' by Claudia...

Erskine Nicol ARA RSA (1825-1904) Insolvent (1862) Oil on canvas, 51 x 66cm (20.1x26'') Signed Exhibited: The Royal Academy London 1863 Cat. No. 66 Literature: ''Irish Rural Interiors'' by Claudia Kinnmonth Yale 2006 P217 Illustrated Fig 211 Although born in Scotland Nicol made his reputation both at home and abroad for lighthearted genre paintings depicting rural Irish Life. He first visited Ireland just after the famine around 1846 and subsequently visited regularly. In the year this painting was painted, 1862, Nicol had established a lodge and studio at Clonave,Lough Derravaragh, Co. Westmeath. As in this work,Nicol always choose his best paintings to showcase his work at the Academies and ''Insolvent'' shows him at the height of his powers. In ''Irish Rural Interiors'' Claudia Kinmonth wrote of this work '' His arrangement of the awkward confrontation between the landlady and the customer,who is evidently familiar to her is juxtaposed with objects which reiterate the narrative. He is trying to get a drink,but clearly she is tired of him having insufficient funds. Framing the man and between the two figures the substantial door with its huge rivets and keyhole beneath the latch illustrates the dynamic of being open yet having the potential of being locked. This is taken a step further: the cup is left temptingly on the broad counter between them,and the object of his desire,the drink,presumably whiskey,is firmly behind her back in a large earthenware vessel carefully protected by basketwork at the end of the counter. A few scraps of food lie about the place,but the containers of drink,on a shelf above the windows,and more below,are clearly the main attraction of the place.'' ''The flagged floor and broad counter of this pub or shebeen contrasts with many descriptions of far poorer places. Clearly the door can be locked after hours; accordingly the landlady seems determined not to give away what she can sell''.

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