Michael George Brennan (1839-1871) A Courtyard in Capri Oil on canvas, 33 x 44.5cm (13 x 17½'') Signed and dated 1866 Exhibited: The Frederick Gallery, December 2001, Cat No. 16. where purchased...

Michael George Brennan (1839-1871) A Courtyard in Capri Oil on canvas, 33 x 44.5cm (13 x 17½'') Signed and dated 1866 Exhibited: The Frederick Gallery, December 2001, Cat No. 16. where purchased by current owner The majority of Brennan's paintings are of Capri subjects. His work can be seen in the context of other nineteenth century artists who were attracted to this beautiful island. Frederick Lord Leighton, for example, painted on Capri in 1859, John Brett at the same time as Brennan, and John Singer Sargent in 1878. Brennan made return visits to Ireland and England, and he spent some time in Paris in 1868. But, suffering from consumption, in 1870 he was advised to live in Algiers. There, Lady Kingston looked after him. But he died in Algiers in 1871, aged thirty-two. Strickland provides a list of Brennan's major paintings. Two of these, 'A Vine Pergola in Capri' and 'Church Interior at Capri', are in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland Brennan's painting A Courtyard in Capri shows his interest in Capri domestic life, and his eye for detail: the earthenware pitchers of different sizes, the circle of tiles in the foreground, and the pigeons feeding on the ground, the pot of fuchsia and the vine trellis, the tambourine propped against the wall and the birdcage hanging in the archway. The painting also illustrates Brennan's sense of composition, a recession, the shape of one large archway balancing the other, while shadowy doorways lead mysteriously to inner rooms, and steps lead up to upper floors. A review in 'The Times', referring to another Capri picture, could equally apply to the present one: ''Exquisite for quiet truth, its sentiment of repose and its serene diffused lights... A romantic theme is present in Brennan's painting too. A young man in loose white shirt rests in the shadows, looking wistfully at the barefoot girl, who pensively holds her hand to her chin. She holds a wickerwork pannier under her arm, so, although the picture may be one of Brennan's 'Courtyard in Capri' paintings shown at the RA in 1865 and 1867, most likely it is the painting entitled 'Feeding the Doves', exhibited at the R.A. in 1868. Dr. Julian Campbell

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