Count John McCormack portrait to be auctioned at Christie"s

A portrait of Athlone"s famous son Count John McCormack is set to be auctioned at Christie"s in London on May 8 as part of the Irish Sporting and Art Sale. The stellar portrait of Count John McCormack by Sir William Orpen RA, R.H.A (1878-1931) is expected to fetch in the region of £400,000-600,000 or €452,000 to €679,000. A work with exceptional provenance, it is offered fresh to the market having been acquired directly from the artist by the sitter, when both men were at the pinnacle of their careers, and has since passed by descent to his grandson, Count John McCormack. Bernard Williams, International Director of Irish Art at Christie"s: 'This painting is a joy. In my opinion, this work, of sterling provenance, is one of the best paintings by the artist to come to the market in many years and would be an important highlight in any serious collection of Irish Art.' The portrait has been in the McCormack family since it was painted by Sir Orpen and Count John McCormack"s grandson, also Count John McCormack, who owns the painting at the moment said: 'My grandfather was an extraordinary man: loved and remembered by many. His phenomenal musical talent brought tremendous pleasure and pride not only to our family, but to his birthplace, Ireland and of course one of his loved homes: America. In all the years that I have lived with this exceptional portrait by the great Sir William Orpen I have never ceased to be fascinated and amazed at the way that the artist captured the essence of my grandfather: the singer, the man, the father and the husband. It is now time for this work to give friendship and pleasure to a new home. My most personal memories and mementos of my grandfather will, of course, always remain close to my heart.' Having been exhibited at the Royal Academy, London, in 1924; the Simthsonian Institute, Washington, in 1971; the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, in 1978 and both the Imperial War Museum, London and National Gallery of Ireland in 2005, this wonderful portrait is viewed not only as providing an insight into the artist and the subject, but the culture and society of the age when it was executed. Sir Orpen is famed for his portraits of Edward, Prince of Wales and Winston Churchill. One of Athlone"s favourite sons John McCormack"s remarkable voice was first recognised when a pupil at the Marist Brothers School, at Summerhill College, Sligo, and as a chorister and soloist in the Pro Cathedral choir in Dublin. In 1903 he won a gold medal at Feis Ceoil, the Irish Music Festival in Dublin, and funds were raised to take him to Milan for voice training with Vincenzo Sabatini. In 1907 he made his debut at Covent Garden in Cavalleria Rusticana and his fame immediately spread to North America and Australia, where he was the star of Dame Nellie Melba"s Grand Opera Season in 1911. McCormack"s operatic career lasted twelve years, ending the year that this work was executed, 1924. He then went on to be a solo artist and was signed to the Victor Talking Machine Company, as a recording artist. Fully embracing the new medium, McCormack"s popular, sentimental songs brought him wealth and fame, enabling him to purchase apartments in New York and London. In 1927, he rediscovered his Irish roots and leased Moore Abbey at Monasterevan, Co Kildare, from Lord Drogheda of the Ponsonby Moore family. In a statement about the painting, Christie"s auction house said this week: 'This captivating portrait of an extraordinary Irish man depicts someone fully at ease with himself and the world around him, with the 'tool of his trade" - a music score - in the bottom left; a reference by Orpen to the art historical tradition of allegory in old master pictures and the traditional paintings dating to 19th century and before. The red flash on McCormack"s lapel indicates the Legion d"Honneur, which he, Count John McCormack, was awarded shortly before the sitting.'