William Conor, RHA RUA (1884 - 1968) Over the bridge Coloured chalks, 38 x 28cm (15 x 11'') Signed Note: These two figues appear again in similar pose in ''Men of the Home Front'' in the Ulster...

William Conor, RHA RUA (1884 - 1968) Over the bridge Coloured chalks, 38 x 28cm (15 x 11'') Signed Note: These two figues appear again in similar pose in ''Men of the Home Front'' in the Ulster Museum Collection. These are shipyard workers crossing Queens Bridge, Belfast, William Conor has been described as holding a special place in the history of art in Northern Ireland. After studying at Belfast College of Art he went to Paris. Though he studied under Andr? Lhote Conor differed from his Irish contemporaries in that he rejected the influence of Lhote's brand of cubism. He also visited New York and London, however other art movements at that time had little bearing on his work. From 1900-1904 Conor worked as an apprentice poster designer at David Allen & Sons. This lithograph work was to have the most profound influence on Conor's approach to painting and he evolved from this more stylised approach, often tinged with humour, charm and wit. In 1910 he exhibited at the Belfast Art Society and from 1918 onwards until 1967 Conor exhibited at the RHA showing nearly two hundred works in total. Conor drew and painted the world he knew best: that of working-class Belfast. Infact he illuminated the Belfast scene, being described as a ''sort of Belfast Dostoievsky''. With compassion and good humour, he depicted crowds of chubby-cheeked children and shawlies, mill girls and as in this case shipyard workers and women at their domestic chores. George McClelland's rapport with William Conor stemmed from his mother's love and appreciation of the Belfast artist's work. He remembers Conor fondly. His subject matter derived from the pastiche of everyday, the exploration, the celebration of the habitual, and of the hardship of people's environs. These conditions were reflective of Conor's life also, where Belfast during the world war years was neither an enticing nor an easy period. Due to the recession and difficulty obtaining canvas and other media some pastels and drawings within McClelland's collection were completed on advertising posters. Jennifer Goff April 2005

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