Harry Kernoff RHA (1900-1974) The Jarvey (Barry Fitzgerald) -1952 pastel signed top left 38 x

Harry Kernoff RHA (1900-1974) The Jarvey (Barry Fitzgerald) -1952 pastel signed top left 38 x 29cm (14.96 x 11.42in) Provenance: Private Collection Harry Aaron Kernoff was born in London on 10th January 1900 of London/Russian extraction. Kernoff moved to Dublin and became a leading figure in Irish modernism and spent the vast majority of his life unappreciated, and made little or nothing from his paintings until a few years before his death whence began to be appreciated by contemporary critics. Influenced by Seán Keating, Kernoff painted the Irish landscape, genre scenes, and portraits and is primarily remembered for his sympathetic interest in Dublin and its people. He depicted street scenes, as well as Dublin landmarks with sympathy and understanding. Kernoff worked part-time for a while in the Abbey Theatre painting sets and it was here in 1929 that he met the actor Barry Fitzgerald (1888-1961). Fitzgerald shared lodgings at this time with Sean O'Casey and moved in the same social circles as Kernoff. After a time Fitzgerald moved to Hollywood where he had a very successful career and went on to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in the film 'Going my Way' playing Father Fitzgibbon. Another of Fitzgerald's most notable roles was that of Michaleen Oge Flynn, a Jarvey in 'The Quiet Man', the subject of this painting by Kernoff. Fitzgerald retired back to Dublin after a successful career spanning from 1936-1959 and resumed his friendship with Kernoff.