Sir William Orpen’s The Thinker hanging in the Hobarts’ dining room at Farm Street
Christie’s is proud to present the Private Collection of Mary and Alan Hobart, founders of Pyms Gallery and leading figures in the promotion of Irish art in Britain, to be auctioned on 19 November 2024 at Christie’s in London.
Over nearly five decades, the Hobarts played a pivotal role in shaping the international art market, working closely with institutions such as the National Gallery of Ireland, and influencing both public and private collections. Their pioneering efforts brought attention to Modern Irish art and helped elevate the profiles of lesser-known and female artists globally.
The Hobarts’ expertly curated private collection, drawn from their homes at Farm Street in Mayfair, London, and Cap Ferrat, France, stands as a testament to their remarkable legacy. The sale includes works by leading Modern Irish artists such as Sir William Orpen, Jack Butler Yeats, Mary Swanzy, William Scott, Sean Scully, Grace Henry, Gerard Dillon, in dialogue with renowned twentieth century British artists, including Bridget Riley, Augustus John, Patrick Heron, Walter Sickert, Elisabeth Frink, Robert Colquhoun, John Banting, Prunella Clough, Christopher Wood, John Tunnard and many others. The collection also features carefully chosen pieces of furniture, decorative arts and design, as well as the modern art reference library that the Hobarts lived alongside.
Embodying the spirit of Pyms Gallery, established in 1974 in London, the collection showcases the Hobarts' connoisseurship and their efforts to reclaim artists for Ireland, including those who had been subsumed under British or Scottish schools. While many of the paintings they handled have now become well known as part of prominent public collections, others were retained by the Hobarts for their own collection and will be publicly displayed for the first time in many years.
Another defining aspect of the Hobarts' legacy was their commitment to championing female artists who had been historically underrepresented in the art world. The collection at Farm Street included remarkable works by trailblazing artists such as Dod Procter, Eileen Agar, Mary Swanzy and Rita Duffy.
Through seeking out these names and exhibiting their works at Pyms Gallery, the Hobarts helped to bring such artists into the spotlight, championing their significant contributions to the development of Modern art.
Elizabeth Comba, Head of Sale, Specialist, Private & Iconic Collections at Christie’s London: "It is a great honour for Christie's to be entrusted with the sale of Mary and Alan Hobart's private collection. Mary and Alan Hobart played a pivotal role in the art market, effectively establishing a new canon of Modern Irish art, with landmark exhibitions showcasing artists such as Sir William Orpen, Mary Swanzy and Jack Butler Yeats. Their extraordinary personal collection demonstrates how the Hobarts' sharp and instinctive eye also championed the work of so many other great modern artists and designers. We look forward to welcoming visitors to our London and Dublin views”.
For more information, please visit: https://www.christies.com/en/auction/the-private-collection-of-mary-and-alan-hobart-pioneers-of-modern-british-and-irish-art-22990-cks/