Leo Whelan RHA (1892-1956)
The Kerry Fiddler
Oil on canvas laid on board, 39.5 x 31cm (15½ x 12¼'')
Dedicated by the artist 'To Tim Mulhull from Leo Whelan'

Like many of Whelan's genre...

Leo Whelan RHA (1892-1956)
The Kerry Fiddler
Oil on canvas laid on board, 39.5 x 31cm (15½ x 12¼'')
Dedicated by the artist 'To Tim Mulhull from Leo Whelan'

Like many of Whelan's genre pieces, this is a blunt yet sympathetic look at the poverty that characterised rural life at the turn of the century. The subject of the old countryman is one which crops up again and again in Whelan's early paintings, many of which were based on character sketches executed in Kerry in the 1920s. Genre studies were Whelan's forte, often painted featuring studio props. An example of this would be the violin hanging in the background which not only alludes to the strong Irish tradition of folk music, but also appears in other works, most memorably in 'The Fiddler' (coll. Crawford Art Gallery).

 

In this work, the bare country cottage interior is permeated with a cold blue light, illuminating its stark interior. The subdued palette is enlivened by touches of dark crimson and blue. This is a typical example of Whelans early work, an unobtrusive but well-executed genre study.

 

Our thanks to Tracy Fahey whose previous writings formed the basis of this catalogue entry.

 

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