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“The Sunshade” by William John Leech (Irish) - Oil on canvas / c. 1913 - National Gallery of Ireland (Dublin) #WomenInArt #art #ArtText #artwork #portraitofawoman #oilpainting #WilliamJohnLeech #womensart #NationalGalleryofIreland #IrishArt #IrishArtist #WilliamLeech #umbrella #parasol #style #1910s
“The Sunshade” by Irish artist William John Leech depicts a young pale woman holding a green parasol which filters the sunlight and casts green shadows on the woman’s face, characteristic of Leech’s Post-Impressionist style. The warmth from the light in the picture and the enigmatic expression on the woman’s face make it a much loved painting in the National Gallery of Ireland. Elizabeth Saurine, the artist’s first wife, modeled for this painting. Sunlight bursts in strongly from the left and highlights the fine bone structure of Elizabeth's face and hands. Leech has painted her in the contemporary clothes of a modern woman. The cadmium yellow of the cardigan, painted in thick impasto to create texture, vibrates against the viridian green of the umbrella, which casts green shadows on her shoulders. In the background, tall stems of lilies are visible. The setting may be the garden in Concarneau, where Leech painted his well-known picture A Convent Garden, Brittany (c.1913; National Gallery of Ireland). Born in Dublin in 1881, Leech studied at the Metropolitan School of Art. He also studied at the RHA School and at the Academie Julian in Paris. From 1903 until 1917, Leech lived mainly in Concarneau in Brittany (France), but visited Dublin regularly. He continued to exhibit annually at the RHA, who elected him a full member in 1910. His reputation was gaining similar status in Paris, where he won a bronze medal at the 1914 Salon. In 1918, Leech served for a time in France, but this experience of World War I left him suffering from depression. He continued painting however, and exhibited throughout the 1920s and 1930s at the RHA, RA and New English Club in London. He also represented Ireland at a number of significant international exhibitions including Venice in 1926 and Brussels in 1930. Although he received a huge amount of recognition for his art throughout his life, Leech struggled financially, often making his own frames to save money.
June 23, 2025 at 2:46 AM