George William Russell Paintings & Artwork for Sale | George William Russell Art Value Price Guide

Aug. 19, 2026
Early 20th Century British School,
Est: $100 - $200
Sketch (possibly James Joyce) ink on paper (double sided) inscribed in ink to upper right verso 'AE by AE / From the Lady Gregory Album' 13cm x 8cm Note: possibly a self portrait sketch by George William Russell (Irish, 1867 1935) who commonly used the pen name 'AE' and extracted from the visitor book of Lady Gregory (Irish, 1852 1932), a famous dramatist, folklorist and theatre manager.
Aalders Auctions
May. 27, 2026
George Russell (1867-1935) Two Girls Playing by the Seashore Oil on canvas, 41 x 53.5cm (16 x 21'') Provenance: With Pyms Gallery, London; Sale, Whytes, 2nd March, 2009, Lot 76 George William Russell (1867-1935) was an Irish artist wh
Est: €8,000 - €12,000
George Russell (1867-1935) Two Girls Playing by the Seashore Oil on canvas, 41 x 53.5cm (16 x 21'') Provenance: With Pyms Gallery, London; Sale, Whytes, 2nd March, 2009, Lot 76 George William Russell (1867-1935) was an Irish artist whose remarkable body of work has deservedly enjoyed a renewed interest in recent decades. Russell was a consummate polymath who in addition to being a prolific painter, was also involved in publishing, drama and poetry. A contemporary of William Butler Yeats, Russell was also a central figure of the The Irish Literary Revival. Born in Lurgan, County Armagh, Russell moved to Dublin aged 11 and enrolled in the Metropolitan School of Art in 1884. It was during this time that his lifelong and influential friendship with Yeats began. In a passage from his autobiographies, Yeats described how Russell’s paintings engaged with a spiritual reality hidden behind their subjects ‘He did not paint the model as we tried to, for some other image rose always before his eyes’. 　 Like Yeats and his wider circle, Russell was deeply engaged with Eastern Mysticism and various esoteric doctrines, in particular those of the Theosophical Society. One of his main preoccupations was how these ideas gleaned from these belief systems could be applied to the context of Ireland. The artist was primarily a painter of figures in a landscape and within this, two sides of his oeuvre emerged. One being the depiction of mythological and folkloric scenes, often drawn from his own vision of the sídh; the supernatural denizens of Ireland descendent from The Tuatha Dé Danann. The other, exemplified by this painting, was more rooted in the recognisably Irish landscape and drew on scenes of everyday life. Russell had great affection for his country and its people, also evidenced by his many political and poetic writings. A cultural nationalist, he wrote passionately about the future of an independent and united Ireland and spent much time travelling around rural Ireland via his work with the the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society (IAOS). His affiliation with Ireland on cultural and political levels became intertwined with his aesthetic appreciation for the landscape. This work, most likely dating from the first decade of the 1900s features a reoccurring subject for the painter, that of figures gambolling on a beach. This subject and its treatment can be likened to that of French landscape painter Eugène Boudin, who became renowned for his coastal scenes in the last decades of the 19th century. In this luminous painting, two ethereal figures commune with the elements, their hair and clothing whipped by the wind, their feet lifting them momentarily above the sands.　 Behind them, clouds roll over the azure sea and amethyst mountains. Their clothing shares the same pastel hues and hazy palette of the landscape and the colour and brushwork of the girl’s face echoes that of the clouds above. Just as Russell the artist straddled two worlds, one mystical and the other pragmatic, so in this painting, featuring one of his more ‘earthbound’ or quotidian of subjects, the influence of certain symbolist predilections and esoteric ideas still permeates. Landscape here is an expression of a psychic state, showing a deep connection between human life and the natural world. Throughout his life, Russsell spent summers in the west and northwest of Ireland especially in Sligo and Donegal, where many paintings of his were made. However, Russell lived in Dublin and this scene strongly resembles a view of Lambay Island, seen from Malahide. In the bottom right-hand corner, just decipherable is the artist’s distinctive monogram. As the now legendary explanation goes, the artist originally assumed the name AEON, a Gnostic term to describe the personification of divinity. This was later shortened to the letters AE which became his lasting moniker.　 Russell’s work as an artist and writer became increasingly prominent at the start of the 20th century and in 1913 several of his pieces were exhibited as part of the Armoury Show in New York; all loans from Irish art patron and collector John Quinn. His paintings can be now found in important public collections throughout Ireland including those of the Hugh Lane Gallery, Model Niland Collection, Trinity College Dublin, Armagh County Museum and The National Gallery. Pádraic E. Moore, April 2026
Adam's
May. 25, 2026
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) LETTER AND SKETCHES (SET OF THREE), 1902
Est: €2,000 - €3,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) LETTER AND SKETCHES (SET OF THREE), 1902 ink; (unframed) signed at end of letter h:10.50 w:8 in. This letter and drawings were sent to Patrick Hannon, who worked with Russell at the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, and later became a Conservative MP in England. Hannon was leaving to work in South Africa, hence Russell's 'Boer War' themed sketches.
Whyte's
Mar. 25, 2026
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Sowing Potatoes Oil on canvas, 39.5 x 52.5cm (15½ x 20¾) Signed with monogram bottom right
Est: €4,000 - €6,000
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Sowing Potatoes Oil on canvas, 39.5 x 52.5cm (15½ x 20¾) Signed with monogram bottom right
Adam's
Dec. 01, 2025
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THREE FIGURES BY THE SHORE
Est: €5,000 - €7,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THREE FIGURES BY THE SHORE oil on canvas signed with monogram lower right h:16 w:21 in. Provenance: Gifted by the artist to Thomas Keller; Thence by descent to the present owner
Whyte's
Dec. 01, 2025
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) PORTRAIT OF LIA CLARKE
Est: €2,000 - €3,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) PORTRAIT OF LIA CLARKE pencil signed in monogram lower left h:14 w:9.50 in. Provenance: The sitter's family by descent; Whyte's, 24 November 2008, lot 103; Private collection Novelist, playwright, art critic and psychic medium, Lia Clarke (1889-1943) was a woman of many parts. Born Cornelia Comyn (or Cummins) the daughter of Nicholas Comyn of Balinderry, Co. Galway, her mother’s family were Blakes from Co. Cork, from whom she inherited a private income derived from her grandfather’s business as a glass maker. She was raised in Waterford by an aunt’s family, the Jennings, but later moved to Dublin, where she became involved in literary and theosophical circles. Possibly it was her experiments in automatic writing that interested Æ, who has captured her here with an inspired yet far away expression. In 1920 she married Austin Clarke, but the marriage lasted barely a fortnight. She later settled in Nassau Street, where she wrote articles for the Irish Press. A later portrait of her, by Gaetano de Gennaro, sold through these rooms (27 May 2006, lot 135).
Whyte's
Nov. 26, 2025
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Two Girls on a Seashore Oil on board, 37.5 x 50.5cm (14¾ x 20) Signed with monogram
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Two Girls on a Seashore Oil on board, 37.5 x 50.5cm (14¾ x 20) Signed with monogram
Adam's
Oct. 29, 2025
George Russell AE (Irish, 1867-1935), Beachscape with female figure
Est: £2,000 - £4,000
George Russell AE (Irish, 1867-1935) Beachscape with female figure Oil on canvas Monogrammed 'AE' lower left Dimensions: (Frame) 20.25 in. (H) x 25 in. (W) (Canvas) 16.25 in. (H) x 21.25 in. (W)
Sloane Street Auctions
Sep. 29, 2025
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) COASTAL LANDSCAPE WITH TWO FIGURES ON A HEADLAND
Est: €7,000 - €9,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) COASTAL LANDSCAPE WITH TWO FIGURES ON A HEADLAND oil on canvas signed with monogram lower left h:16 w:21 in. Provenance: Adam's, 28 September 2022, lot 108; Private collection George Russell, also known as Æ, was born in Lurgan, Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland, in 1867. Considered one of Ireland's foremost writers and a leading cultural figure, Russell was a radical intellectual and contributor to Irish public life and the Irish Literary Revival movement, working as publisher, rural reformer, poet, painter and political activist. He attended the Metropolitan School of Art (now National College of Art and Design) where he met the young William Butler Yeats who would remain his friend and rival throughout his life and career. Derived from the name 'Aeon' meaning 'the first sound of the universe', Russell started to publish under the pen name Æ after 1893. Although he never considered art as a career, Russell's oeuvre reached international grounds. At the 1913 International Exhibition of Modern Art, also known as the Armory Show held in New York, only three Irish painters were invited to contribute, including Æ, alongside Jack Butler Yeats and Nathaniel Hone. His paintings reflected the visions and trances experienced during his adolescence as well as his fascination with the occult, often depicting mystical spirits in hazy, dream-like compositions. Russell was involved in the creation of many Irish cultural institutions including the Abbey Theatre, the Metropolitan Gallery (now Hugh Lane Gallery) and the Cuala Press. He joined the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society of Horace Plunkett in 1897 to lead rural cooperatives across the country. As a writer and poet, his Sunday evening salons organised at his house attracted the Irish literati circle with figures like Michael Collins, a young James Joyce and George Moore all in attendance. In addition, Russell was the editor of The Irish Homestead from 1904 to 1923 and The Irish Statesman (1923-30). His death in 1935 was honoured with an aerial salute and his funeral brought together mourners Éamon de Valera, William Butler Yeats and William Thomas Cosgrave. His works are included in various public collections such as in the National Gallery of Ireland, the Hugh Lane and the Crawford Gallery. A bronze bust of Russell was unveiled by his granddaughter in Merrion Square on the 50th anniversary of his death in 1985.
Whyte's
Sep. 24, 2025
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Young Girls Gathering Water, Misty Landscape Oil on canvas, 36 x 61cm (14 x 24'') Signed 'AE'
Est: €2,000 - €3,000
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Young Girls Gathering Water, Misty Landscape Oil on canvas, 36 x 61cm (14 x 24'') Signed 'AE'
Adam's
May. 28, 2025
*George Russell Æ (1867-1935) Clouds Over the Hill Oil on canvas 41 x 56cm (16.1 x 22) Provenance: Cyril de Putron, and thence by descent Russell was an Irish writer, editor, critic, poet, painter, Irish nationalist and a pacifist. He
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
*George Russell Æ (1867-1935) Clouds Over the Hill Oil on canvas 41 x 56cm (16.1 x 22) Provenance: Cyril de Putron, and thence by descent Russell was an Irish writer, editor, critic, poet, painter, Irish nationalist and a pacifist. He was also a mystic and a theosophist. His chosen pseudonym of Æ or AE represents ‘Æon’, a word used by the Gnostics, whose teachings he followed, describing an ‘emanation’ of mind and spirit. ‘He was a tolerant artist-philosopher, friendly towards all mankind, and his big enthusiasms were never mixed with venom ... He dabbled in Eastern mysticism a good deal, but his Irish humour peeped through, and his wit and wisdom, as well as his great reputation, drew constant visitors to his Dublin home. Perhaps he is best described as an Irish Tolstoy, with a tinge of Brahmin in his intellectual background’ (Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 26 July 1935, p 11). Here is a flavour of his poetry, taken from Dusk (1906):‘Only in clouds and dreams I felt those souls In the abyss, each fire hid in its clod, From which in clouds and dreams the spirit rolls Into the vast of God.’ De Putron, who owned this picture, was a Captain in the Lancashire Fusiliers stationed in Dublin during World War One, living at Bushy Park, near to Russell. His daughter Mary was a famous stained glass artist and archaeologist.
Adam's
May. 26, 2025
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THREE FIGURES BY THE SHORE
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THREE FIGURES BY THE SHORE oil on canvas signed with monogram lower right h:16 w:21 in. Provenance: Gifted by the artist to Thomas Keller; Thence by descent to the present owner
Whyte's
May. 26, 2025
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) LANDSCAPE WITH TWO FIGURES
Est: €2,000 - €3,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) LANDSCAPE WITH TWO FIGURES pastel inscribed on reverse; also inscribed on label on reverse h:10 w:13.25 in. Provenance: Gifted by the artist to Thomas Keller; Thence by descent to George E. Hetherington; Thence to Walter Beckett; Thence by descent to the present owner
Whyte's
Mar. 26, 2025
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Figures Beneath The Branch, Dappled in Sunlight Oil on canvas, 37cm x 45cm (14¾ x 17¾) Signed with monogram Provenance: Sale, these rooms, 1 April 2008, lot 121
Est: €6,000 - €10,000
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Figures Beneath The Branch, Dappled in Sunlight Oil on canvas, 37cm x 45cm (14¾ x 17¾) Signed with monogram Provenance: Sale, these rooms, 1 April 2008, lot 121
Adam's
Mar. 26, 2025
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Figures in a Sunlit Wooded Landscape Oil on canvas, 40cm x 55cm (15¾ x 21¾) Provenance : Sale, Whyte's, Dublin, 21 September 2004, Lot 148
Est: €5,000 - €8,000
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Figures in a Sunlit Wooded Landscape Oil on canvas, 40cm x 55cm (15¾ x 21¾) Provenance : Sale, Whyte's, Dublin, 21 September 2004, Lot 148
Adam's
Mar. 26, 2025
George Russell AE (1867-1935) An Apparition, 1921 Oil on canvas, 55cm x 63cm (21¾ x 24¾) Signed in monogram lower right, Provenance : Sale, Whyte's Dublin, 30 April 2008, Lot 118 Born in Lurgan, County Armagh in 1867 George W. Russell c
Est: €8,000 - €12,000
George Russell AE (1867-1935) An Apparition, 1921 Oil on canvas, 55cm x 63cm (21¾ x 24¾) Signed in monogram lower right, Provenance : Sale, Whyte's Dublin, 30 April 2008, Lot 118 Born in Lurgan, County Armagh in 1867 George W. Russell commenced studies at the Metropolitan School of Art in 1884. It was here that the young artist first met William Butler Yeats with whom he would share a formative yet fraught friendship for the rest of his life. Soon after beginning art school Russell began experiencing visions, claiming to have had his first encounter with elemental beings in the hills near Dublin. These Blakean apparitions were an important touchstone for Russell throughout his life and were a vital impetus in the creation of artworks such as this one, dating from 1921. Russell’s mystical leanings led to his affiliation with the Theosophical Society. Drawing upon Buddhism and Hinduism, this movement proposes the essential oneness of religions and the fundamental unity of all humankind. The Dublin Lodge of the Theosophical Society was comprised of non-conformists who lived together in a house at No. 3 Upper Ely Place, in a manner that would today be considered akin to that of an ashram or commune. Russell’s devotion to Theosophy is evidenced in his first book of collected poems, Homeward: Songs by the way' which was published in 1894 and secured his role as a central figure of the Irish Literary Renaissance. Russell originally wrote under the nom de plume AEON. The oft-told and possibly apocryphal tale goes that AEON was altered to AE as a result of a printer's error in the aforementioned book. This became the pseudonym the artist adopted and modified to the character Æ when signing paintings, as can be seen in the bottom right corner of this exquisite piece. Theosophical tenets were a particularly vital catalyst in early 20th century Ireland, because they precipitated a newfound interest in Celtic mythology. This is manifest throughout AE’s entire oeuvre and exemplified in this painting. The androgynous golden being that dominates this image is most probably Lugh, chief of the Tuatha Dé Danann who can be identified by the rod of flame that he holds. The presence of Lugh reflects Russell's deep interest in mining Irish folklore as a source of creative potential. In the 1890s he wrote “The Tuatha Dé Danaan (...) were different from the Gods of ancient Greece and India in that they were men who had made themselves Gods by magical or Druidical power. Superhuman in power and beauty; they raised themselves above nature; they played with the elements, they moved with ease in the air”. The elemental being in this painting splits the canvas with a striking diagonal axis that lends dynamism to the composition. The craggy peaks forming the backdrop are unusual for AE’s paintings, but the motif -of an otherworldly entity startling countryfolk- reoccurs throughout his oeuvre. Another particular variation of this theme can be seen in Couple and a Spirit with a Lute, in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland. This painting exemplifies why AE is a singular figure in the history of Irish art. While there are several notable examples of Irish literary Modernism, visual art in Ireland was late to embrace progressive approaches. Russell’s paintings can be compared to those of Gustave Moreau and Odilon Redon and in this way he is one of few -if not the only- examples of Irish art that reveals influences of Symbolism. Interest in AE’s work is perennial and the significance of his paintings has been reappraised in recent years, as art historians have begun to understand the meanings of the complex visual vocabulary he developed which had previously all too often been dismissed as merely whimsical. Pádraic E. Moore, Spring 2025
Adam's
Dec. 02, 2024
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) GOOD-BYE
Est: €5,000 - €7,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) GOOD-BYE oil on canvas signed in monogram lower left; with faint inscriptions on stretcher on reverse; with gilt plaque detailing title and artist's name affixed to frame lower centre h:16 w:20 in. Provenance: Whyte's, 10 October 2011, lot 49; Private collection
Whyte's
Dec. 02, 2024
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) CHILDREN PLAYING IN A WOOD
Est: €8,000 - €12,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) CHILDREN PLAYING IN A WOOD oil on canvas signed with monogram lower left h:20.50 w:24 in. Provenance: Gifted by the artist; Private collection; Gifted to the present owner George Russell is commemorated with a plaque describing him as "Poet, painter, economist and mystic" at his former home at 17 Rathgar Avenue, Dublin where he lived from 1911 to 1933. It is quite possible the present work took inspiration from the grounds of Bushy Park, Terenure - located less than a 30 minute walk from the artist's home - however, it is also reminiscent of his woodland scenes of Raheen in Galway and other untitled examples of glades and woodlands which have appeared at auction since the 1980s. Russell, who wrote and painted under the pseudonym Æ (derived from an earlier "Æ'on" signifying the lifelong quest of man) was a central figure in the Irish Literary Revival or Celtic Twilight of the late 19th century. 17 Rathgar Avenue was a hub for this movement and Æ, together with his wife Violet, hosted "at homes" there, attended by W.B. Yeats, Michael Collins, Oliver St John Gogarty and James Joyce among many others. W.B. Yeats in The Trembling of the Veil (1922) wrote of Æ, "At the time I write of him, he was the religious teacher, and that alone-his painting, his poetry, and his conversation all subservient to that one end. Men watched him with awe or with bewilderment; it was known that he saw visions continually, perhaps more continually than any modern man since Swedenborg; and when he painted and drew in pastel what he had seen, some accepted the record without hesitation, others, like myself, noticing the academic Graeco-Roman forms, and remembering his early admiration for the works of Gustave Moreau, divined a subjective element, but no one doubted his word." Children Playing in a Wood, with its dappled light and impish figures, typifies the artist's style. Like all of his oeuvre, whether it be site specific scenes in Dublin, Connemara or Donegal, it is imbued with an otherworldliness that connects back to his fascination with the occult and sets his oeuvre apart from that of his contemporaries. The present work was a gift from the artist to his friend's daughter who, it was recalled to the present owner, played 'chasing fairies' with the artist in Bushy Park. Demand for Æ's paintings and interest in him remains strong with the opening of a permanent national and international appreciation society dedicated to his memory at the United Arts Club, Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin (which he helped found in 1907) opening in 2023. Portraits of Æ as well as numerous examples of his work can be found in the National Gallery of Ireland, the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin and many other public and private collections nationally and internationally. Adelle Hughes November 2024
Whyte's
Sep. 30, 2024
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THE GATHERING (LANDSCAPE WITH WOMEN BY A CHALK PIT)
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THE GATHERING (LANDSCAPE WITH WOMEN BY A CHALK PIT) oil on canvas signed in monogram lower right h:16 w:21 in. Provenance: Sotheby’s, New York, 22 January 1992, lot 156; Donated to the Seattle Art Museum for a fundraising sale; Whence purchased by private collector, 9 October 1993; Whyte's, 28 April 2008, lot 116; Private collection
Whyte's
Sep. 25, 2024
George Russell, A.E. (1867-1935) Woman and Children by the Shore Oil on canvas, 40 x 53cm (15_ x 20_'') Signed with monogram
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
George Russell, A.E. (1867-1935) Woman and Children by the Shore Oil on canvas, 40 x 53cm (15_ x 20_'') Signed with monogram
Adam's
Jul. 17, 2024
GEORGE RUSSELL AE (1867 - 1935) Figural Sketches of Riza Pasha, Lady Minna O’Connor and others Pen & Ink on embossed paper, 33 x 20cm Signed with initials and inscribed
Est: €600 - €1,000
GEORGE RUSSELL AE (1867 - 1935) Figural Sketches of Riza Pasha, Lady Minna O’Connor and others Pen & Ink on embossed paper, 33 x 20cm Signed with initials and inscribed
Adam's
Jun. 25, 2024
Attributed to George William Russell (Irish, 1867-1935), Lake scene with cottage, oil on card, 18 x 22cm
Est: £800 - £1,200
Attributed to George William Russell (Irish, 1867-1935) Lake scene with cottage oil on card monogrammed
Gorringes
Mar. 27, 2024
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Landscape with Children Oil on canvas, 38 x 44cm (15 x 17¼) Signed lower right Provenance: With The Bell Gallery, Belfast, 1970 Exhibited: Armagh County Museum AE: Painting and Manuscripts, January 1984
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Landscape with Children Oil on canvas, 38 x 44cm (15 x 17¼) Signed lower right Provenance: With The Bell Gallery, Belfast, 1970 Exhibited: Armagh County Museum AE: Painting and Manuscripts, January 1984
Adam's
Dec. 04, 2023
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) WOMAN ON MARBLE HILL STRAND, COUNTY DONEGAL
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) WOMAN ON MARBLE HILL STRAND, COUNTY DONEGAL oil on canvas signed with monogram lower right h:16 w:21 in.
Whyte's
May. 29, 2023
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THE BATHERS
Est: €10,000 - €15,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THE BATHERS oil on canvas signed with monogram lower right h:16 w:21 in. Provenance: Whyte's, 26 November 2007, lot 88; Private collection
Whyte's
May. 29, 2023
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) FIGURES BY THE SHORE
Est: €5,000 - €7,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) FIGURES BY THE SHORE oil on canvas signed with monogram lower left h:14 w:18 in.
Whyte's
Apr. 18, 2023
George William Russell (AE) (1867-1935) Two Girls Before A Ringfort (c.1920)
Est: €4,000 - €6,000
George William Russell (AE) (1867-1935) Two Girls Before A Ringfort (c.1920) oil on canvas h:40.50 w:53.50 cm. Provenance: Whyte's, Dublin, 28th April 2008 lot 117; Whyte's, Dublin, 28th November 2011 lot 102; Private Collection Although George Russell painted conventional portraits and landscapes, he is far better known for his visionary scenes; paintings that depict a world in which faeries and sprites, no less than human beings, are absolutely present. Sometimes, as in Two Girls Below a Ringfort, it is difficult to determine is he setting out to depict an actual scene, or an inner vision. The faces of the two girls are featureless; they might well be spirit figures. Above them, the stone walls of the ringfort, more correctly 'cahir', are surmounted by wooden posts. One of thousands dotted across the Irish landscape, the circular fort dates back to the Iron Age. Russell has depicted it on a bluff, overlooking a beach and shallow inlet, across which the girls pick their way. As with many of his paintings, it is a tranquil, evening scene. The sky is misty, suffused with sunshine, and tinged with purple. In the distance can be seen a range of hills, surrounding the bay. In the foreground, stepping through shallow waters, the two girls appear lost in thought as the day draws to a close. Painted probably around 1920, Two Girls Below a Ringfort evokes a world of childhood, set within an ancient landscape. Judging by the topography, the location is likely to be county Mayo, perhaps Blacksod Bay; This was the setting for Carlo Point Edge, another painting by Russell. Russell and Frank O'Connor (Michael O'Donovan) met in 1925, with Russell becoming friend and mentor to the young author. He gifted Two Girls Below a Ringfort to O'Connor, perhaps in recognition of the author's campaign to preserve ancient Irish monuments. Russell even painted a portrait of Frank O'Connor's mother in old age, but she disliked it, saying that it made her 'look like a poisoner'. In creating his own style of painting, Russell, also known as "AE", borrowed from both the Symbolist and Impressionist movements, and in terms of atmosphere and colour his paintings are reminiscent of the canvases of Gustave Moreau. However, he was also a political and social activist who was down to earth in his thinking. Largely as a result of his work with the agricultural co-operative movement, and his editorship of the newspaper The Irish Homestead, Russell's landscapes, often of Sligo, Donegal or Mayo, are informed by an understanding of life in the West of Ireland. His country people, young and old, are lost in thought, and often seem tinged with sadness. while his spirit figures are equally enveloped in a nostalgic haze, as they pine for a lost world. Peter Murray, March 2023 Peter Murray, March 2023
Morgan O'Driscoll
Dec. 07, 2022
George Russell Æ (1867-1935) Figures in a Mountain Landscape Oil on canvas, 45 x 65cm (17¾ x 25½ )
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
George Russell Æ (1867-1935) Figures in a Mountain Landscape Oil on canvas, 45 x 65cm (17¾ x 25½ )
Adam's
Dec. 07, 2022
George Russell AE (1867 - 1935) Children Playing in a Woodland Glade Oil on canvas, 53.5 x 81.5cm (21 x 32) Signed Provenance: Collection of the Late President Erskine Childers, thence by descent
Est: €10,000 - €15,000
George Russell AE (1867 - 1935) Children Playing in a Woodland Glade Oil on canvas, 53.5 x 81.5cm (21 x 32) Signed Provenance: Collection of the Late President Erskine Childers, thence by descent
Adam's
Dec. 06, 2022
A.E. (George Russell)Â Selected Poems, 8vo, L. 1935,Â First Edn., portrait title page, blind decor
Est: €80 - €120
A.E. (George Russell) Selected Poems, 8vo, L. 1935, First Edn., portrait title page, blind decor blue cloth; O'Grady (S.) The Triumph of Cuchulainn, 8vo D. (Talbot) n.d., illus. frontis, gilt lettered Celtic design cloth; Robinson (L.) Lady Gregory's Journal's 1916-1930, 8vo D. 1946, First Edn., cloth and d.j.; Coxhead (E.) Lady Gregory A Literary Portrait, 8vo, L. 1961, photo frontis, cloth; Morgan (C.) Epitaph on George Moore, 8vo, L. 1935, frontis, cloth backed marble boards, as a lot, w.a.f. (5)
Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers
Sep. 28, 2022
George Russel 'AE' (1867 - 1935) Coastal Landscape with Two Figures on a Headland Oil on canvas, 41 x 53cm (16 x 21) Signed with monogram
Est: €5,000 - €8,000
George Russel 'AE' (1867 - 1935) Coastal Landscape with Two Figures on a Headland Oil on canvas, 41 x 53cm (16 x 21) Signed with monogram
Adam's
Jun. 06, 2022
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THE TENNIS PLAYERS
Est: €10,000 - €15,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THE TENNIS PLAYERS oil on canvas signed in monogram lower left; inscribed on label on reverse h:21 w:32 in.
Whyte's
Jun. 01, 2022
George Russell AE (1867 - 1935) Figure in Woodland Oil on canvas, 81.4 x 53.5cm (32 x 21) Provenance: Gifted by the artists to Mr Robert Fearon; Private Collection, Co. Dublin
Est: €10,000 - €15,000
George Russell AE (1867 - 1935) Figure in Woodland Oil on canvas, 81.4 x 53.5cm (32 x 21) Provenance: Gifted by the artists to Mr Robert Fearon; Private Collection, Co. Dublin
Adam's
Apr. 26, 2022
George William Russell (AE) (1867-1935) Two Girls on a Beach
Est: €8,000 - €12,000
George William Russell (AE) (1867-1935) Two Girls on a Beach oil on canvas signed with monogram 'AE' lower left h:53.30 w:80.60 cm. Provenance: Private Collection A light-filled Impressionist scene of a beach, this canvas both reflects George Russell's love of the West of Ireland and also encapsulates his world of the imagination. In the shadow of a sand dune, two girls shelter from the sun. One sits forward, while the other reclines, hands clasped around her knees. Although lost in a reverie, both girls gaze attentively out across a blue expanse of sea. In the distance, seen through a haze, mountains rise over a wide bay. Like many of Russell's paintings, this is a scene full of a sense of magic and enchantment. The seascape behind the girls could be real, or equally could be a dream. The sky is a delicate pale blue, as is the sea, while tints of blue animate shadows cast by the dune. There are no harsh contrasts of light and shade, and the entire canvas is characterised by careful harmonies of colour and subject-matter. Although practical, and in touch with politics and changes in society, Russell also believed in the existence of an alternative universe inhabited by ethereal beings. Influenced by Symbolist artists such as Gustave Moreau and Puvis de Chavannes, he studied Theosophy and esoteric religions, giving expression to this late-Romantic vision through a prolific output of paintings, novels, plays and poetry. In this painting, Russell evokes a world of wistful nostalgia, enveloping his figures in a Romantic haze. Often set in Mayo, Sligo and Donegal, his landscapes with figures are invariably tinged with this sense of nostalgia for times past. Born in Lurgan, Co. Armagh, as a child Russell moved to Dublin with his family. After studying at the Metropolitan School of Art, in 1887 he began working for the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, and edited the IAOS newspaper, the Irish Homestead. Alongside these practical concerns, Russell found time to study esoteric religions, joining the Dublin Theosophical Society in 1888, and later forming the 'Hermetic Society'. He was also involved with drama, in 1902 becoming vice-president of the Irish National Theatre Society (later the Abbey Theatre Company). His plays include Deirdre, (1902), while his first book of poetry, Homeward: Songs by the Way, published in 1894, was followed by his 1913 Collected Poems. In addition to painting, plays and poetry, Russell wrote on agricultural policy and political theory, in The Building up of a Rural Civilisation (1910), and The National Being (1916). He was highly regarded as an artist, and, in 1913, with the support and encouragement of the lawyer John Quinn, his paintings were shown at the Armory Show in New York. Encouraged also by William Butler Yeats, Russell painted murals depicting his mystical visions, at 3 Upper Ely Place, headquarters of the Theosophical Society. He also painted portraits, of Yeats, Lady Gregory, and others. Peter Murray, March 2022
Morgan O'Driscoll
Mar. 07, 2022
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) LANDSCAPE NORTH OF MUCKISH, COUNTY DONEGAL
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) LANDSCAPE NORTH OF MUCKISH, COUNTY DONEGAL oil on canvas signed with monogram on reverse h:16 w:21 in. Provenance: Collection of Lady Augusta Gregory, Coole Park; Private collection
Whyte's
Mar. 07, 2022
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) TWO FIGURES ON SHORE
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) TWO FIGURES ON SHORE oil on canvas signed with monogram lower left h:16 w:21 in. Provenance: Collection of Lady Augusta Gregory, Coole Park; Private collection
Whyte's
Mar. 07, 2022
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) SWANS AT COOLE
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) SWANS AT COOLE oil on canvas signed with monogram lower right h:21 w:32 in. Provenance: Collection of William Butler Yeats; Thence to Anne Yeats; From whom purchased by the present owner Literature: Reproduced on the jacket of Irish Writers and their Creative Process, edited by Jacqueline Genet and Wynne Hellegouarc'h, Colin Smythe Ltd, 1996
Whyte's
Mar. 07, 2022
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) CELESTIAL FIGURE
Est: €800 - €1,200
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) CELESTIAL FIGURE pastel h:10 w:7 in. Provenance: Collection of Constance Sitwell; Private collection
Whyte's
Mar. 07, 2022
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) SEATED SPIRIT
Est: €800 - €1,200
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) SEATED SPIRIT crayon signed with monogram lower right h:11.25 w:8.50 in. Provenance: Collection of Constance Sitwell; Private collection Literature: Reproduced on the cover of the paperback edition of The Middle Kingdom, The Faerie World of Ireland by Dermot MacManus, Colin Smythe Ltd, 1973
Whyte's
Sep. 29, 2021
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Portrait of Osborn Bergin, Celtic Scholar Pastel, 29.5 x 22.5cm (11½ x 8¾) Signed with initials AE Provenance: Sale, these rooms, c.1974; Collection of Antoinette & Patrick J. Murphy
Est: €400 - €600
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Portrait of Osborn Bergin, Celtic Scholar Pastel, 29.5 x 22.5cm (11½ x 8¾) Signed with initials AE Provenance: Sale, these rooms, c.1974; Collection of Antoinette & Patrick J. Murphy
Adam's
Sep. 29, 2021
George Russell Æ (1867-1935) Gathering Firewood Oil on canvas, 53 x 80cm (20¾ x 31½) Signed with monogram Born in Co. Armagh, George Russell moved to Dublin when he was eleven. His interest in painting led him to undertake evening classe
Est: €15,000 - €20,000
George Russell Æ (1867-1935) Gathering Firewood Oil on canvas, 53 x 80cm (20¾ x 31½) Signed with monogram Born in Co. Armagh, George Russell moved to Dublin when he was eleven. His interest in painting led him to undertake evening classes at the Metropolitan School of Art and it was here that he met and befriended William Butler Yeats. Yeats encouraged Russell in his more creative pursuits and introduced him to Theosophy, a religious study that places emphasis on the natural world and mystical experience. Russell immersed himself in these teachings and he began to write for journals such as the Irish Theosophist. It was in these articles that his pseudonym, AE, first appeared, a shortened version of Aeon and a nod towards an eternal being. His beliefs also carried through into his artwork. In some pieces, Russell blatantly made reference to supernatural occurrences, depicting imp-like figures in fairy-tale worlds. Others, such as the current lot, are more subtle in their approach, caressing everyday scenes with an arcadian cloak. Here, the birch wood is transformed into a leafy idyll. The dappled sunshine spots the ground below whilst the foliage glitters in the descending rays. Three figures move through the trees, engaged in collecting firewood. By blurring their faces, Russell creates a sense of mystery around their identity, elevating them slightly from the human realm and allowing them to pass seamlessly through this magical vista. Russells impressionistic approach further dulls our sense of reality, the soft textures mimicking the fuzzy warmth of dreams. It was Russells desire to nurture an Irish school of art, a rival to those emerging on the European continent, but, in 1928, Russell left Dublin and embarked on a series of US lecture tours. He prioritised his literary works over his painting and never quite reached the acclaim that he deserved during his lifetime. Russell died in 1935 as a poet, critic, philosopher and some-time painter, but his contribution to Irish art cannot be overlooked. Through his images, we are invited to experience an ideology that was bubbling underneath Irish society at the turn of the 20th century. Theosophy touched several well-known names at the time but it is through George Russell that we truly understand the effect that it took on their creative processes. Helena Carlyle, September 2021
Adam's
Aug. 18, 2021
William George Russell (1867 - 1935)
Est: $50 - $100
William George Russell, American (1867 - 1935) Watercolor on Paper "Venetian Scene" Signed Lower Left. Sight measures 11-5/8" x 6-3/4", frame measures 19-1/2" x 14-1/2'. Condition: Good condition. Estimate: $50.00 - $100.00 Domestic Shipping: $115.00
Kodner Galleries
Jun. 02, 2021
George Russell Æ (1867-1935) - Children Playing on a Beach
Est: €6,000 - €10,000
George Russell Æ (1867-1935) Children Playing on a Beach Oil on canvas, 32 x 48cm (12.5 x 19) Starting Bid: € 4200
Adam's
May. 31, 2021
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THE OYSTER PICKERS
Est: €3,000 - €5,000
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THE OYSTER PICKERS oil on canvas signed in monogram lower left; with Winsor & Newton [London] stamp on reverse h:17 w:41 in. Provenance: Acquired from the artist by author Richmond Samuel Howe Noble of Lisnatore, St Helen's Bay, Belfast; Thence by family descent Richmond Samuel Howe Noble of Lisnatore, St Helen's Bay, Belfast was a celebrated author of books on Shakespeare, in particular his use of song and his use of the Bible within his works. He purchased several paintings from the artist who moved in the same literary and artistic circles which included the likes of Percy Wyndham Lewis, Gerard Leslie Brockhurst and Oliver St. John Gogarty among others.
Whyte's
May. 31, 2021
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) MOONLIGHT SCENE WITH TWO FIGURES ON A SHORE
Est: €2,500 - €3,500
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) MOONLIGHT SCENE WITH TWO FIGURES ON A SHORE oil on canvas signed in monogram lower left h:15.75 w:20 in.
Whyte's
Dec. 09, 2020
George Russell 'AE' (1867-1935) Voices of the Stones, London, 1925, signed inscribed and dated 12.4.28, blue cloth boards with wrappers; together with The National Being, London, 1916, blue cloth with gilt, two books, signed
Est: €150 - €250
George Russell 'AE' (1867-1935) Voices of the Stones, London, 1925, signed inscribed and dated 12.4.28, blue cloth boards with wrappers; together with The National Being, London, 1916, blue cloth with gilt, two books, signed
Adam's
Dec. 09, 2020
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Figures by a Moonlit Lake Oil on board, 30 x 46cm (11¾ x 18'') Signed; inscribed on the back To Dr Maguire with sincere regards from Mr&Mrs Geo W. Russell
Est: €5,000 - €8,000
George Russell AE (1867-1935) Figures by a Moonlit Lake Oil on board, 30 x 46cm (11¾ x 18'') Signed; inscribed on the back To Dr Maguire with sincere regards from Mr&Mrs Geo W. Russell
Adam's
Dec. 07, 2020
George Russell ("Æ") (1867-1935) THE OYSTER PICKERS
Est: €6,000 - €8,000
signed in monogram lower left; with Winsor & Newton [London] stamp on reverse
Whyte's