Lot

45

TOM CARR ARHA HRUA ARWS (1909 - 1999)

In Irish & International Art

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TOM CARR ARHA HRUA ARWS (1909 - 1999) - Image 1 of 4
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TOM CARR ARHA HRUA ARWS (1909 - 1999) - Image 1 of 4
TOM CARR ARHA HRUA ARWS (1909 - 1999) - Image 2 of 4
TOM CARR ARHA HRUA ARWS (1909 - 1999) - Image 3 of 4
TOM CARR ARHA HRUA ARWS (1909 - 1999) - Image 4 of 4
Auctioneer has chosen not to publish the price of this lot
Durrow, Co. Laois
Title: Swans on a LakeMedium: WatercolourSignature: Signed Lower RightProvenance: Private CollectionFramedDescriptionAn elegant watercolour by Tom Carr, “Swans on a Lake” captures a quiet pastoral moment with a lightness of touch characteristic of the artist. In this scene, a pair of white swans glide gracefully across a placid lake set in the Irish countryside. Carr uses a soft, muted palette – gentle blues for the water and sky, hints of green and golden ochre for foliage on the banks – creating an atmosphere of early morning or late afternoon calm. The swans are centrally placed, their reflections softly mirrored in the lake’s surface. Carr’s brushwork in watercolour is controlled yet fluid: the broad washes convey the expanse of water and sky, while finer strokes delineate the swans’ forms and a fringe of reeds in the foreground. There is a masterful use of negative space; the white paper is left untouched to define the swans’ feathers and a streak of sunlight on the water, lending the composition a luminous quality. A tree line in the distance is rendered in a hazy silhouette, suggesting depth without overworking detail. The painting is signed “Tom Carr” in the lower left, confirming its authenticity (the signature in this position aligns with Carr’s habit for works on paper). Simple and poetic, “Swans on a Lake” exemplifies Tom Carr’s ability to find serenity in nature, presenting the viewer with a moment of stillness and natural beauty.Image: 25 x 38 cm.Framed: 50 x 60 cm.BiographyTom Carr ARHA, HRUA, ARWS (1909–1999) was a prominent Northern Irish artist, widely admired for his serene landscapes and sensitive figure studies. Born in Belfast, he demonstrated artistic talent from an early age and went on to study at the Slade School of Art in London, where he trained under leading British painters of the time. This classical grounding in drawing and composition would shape a career rooted in quiet observation and lyrical realism.Though briefly drawn to abstraction in the early 1930s, Carr ultimately found his voice in representational art, focusing on the places and scenes he knew best. His paintings frequently depict the rolling countryside of County Down, calm coastal views, and tender domestic moments—subjects rendered with soft colour, balanced compositions, and a gentle sense of stillness.Returning to Northern Ireland on the eve of the Second World War, Carr later served as an official war artist, chronicling the home front with empathy and restraint. In the postwar years, he became a respected educator at the Belfast College of Art and continued to exhibit widely, earning a devoted following for the quiet beauty and subtlety of his work.Honoured with several distinctions, including an MBE and OBE, and active in multiple artistic societies, Carr remains a beloved figure in Irish art. His paintings, marked by their clarity and calm, offer a timeless reflection on the everyday world, viewed with attentiveness and grace.
Title: Swans on a LakeMedium: WatercolourSignature: Signed Lower RightProvenance: Private CollectionFramedDescriptionAn elegant watercolour by Tom Carr, “Swans on a Lake” captures a quiet pastoral moment with a lightness of touch characteristic of the artist. In this scene, a pair of white swans glide gracefully across a placid lake set in the Irish countryside. Carr uses a soft, muted palette – gentle blues for the water and sky, hints of green and golden ochre for foliage on the banks – creating an atmosphere of early morning or late afternoon calm. The swans are centrally placed, their reflections softly mirrored in the lake’s surface. Carr’s brushwork in watercolour is controlled yet fluid: the broad washes convey the expanse of water and sky, while finer strokes delineate the swans’ forms and a fringe of reeds in the foreground. There is a masterful use of negative space; the white paper is left untouched to define the swans’ feathers and a streak of sunlight on the water, lending the composition a luminous quality. A tree line in the distance is rendered in a hazy silhouette, suggesting depth without overworking detail. The painting is signed “Tom Carr” in the lower left, confirming its authenticity (the signature in this position aligns with Carr’s habit for works on paper). Simple and poetic, “Swans on a Lake” exemplifies Tom Carr’s ability to find serenity in nature, presenting the viewer with a moment of stillness and natural beauty.Image: 25 x 38 cm.Framed: 50 x 60 cm.BiographyTom Carr ARHA, HRUA, ARWS (1909–1999) was a prominent Northern Irish artist, widely admired for his serene landscapes and sensitive figure studies. Born in Belfast, he demonstrated artistic talent from an early age and went on to study at the Slade School of Art in London, where he trained under leading British painters of the time. This classical grounding in drawing and composition would shape a career rooted in quiet observation and lyrical realism.Though briefly drawn to abstraction in the early 1930s, Carr ultimately found his voice in representational art, focusing on the places and scenes he knew best. His paintings frequently depict the rolling countryside of County Down, calm coastal views, and tender domestic moments—subjects rendered with soft colour, balanced compositions, and a gentle sense of stillness.Returning to Northern Ireland on the eve of the Second World War, Carr later served as an official war artist, chronicling the home front with empathy and restraint. In the postwar years, he became a respected educator at the Belfast College of Art and continued to exhibit widely, earning a devoted following for the quiet beauty and subtlety of his work.Honoured with several distinctions, including an MBE and OBE, and active in multiple artistic societies, Carr remains a beloved figure in Irish art. His paintings, marked by their clarity and calm, offer a timeless reflection on the everyday world, viewed with attentiveness and grace.

Irish & International Art

Sale Date(s)
Lots: 1-200
Venue Address
The Square
Durrow
Co. Laois
R32 FN88
Ireland

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Important Information

Preview | Durrow, Co. Laois,

10th - 13th May 2025

 Auction | Durrow, R32 FN88

14th May 2025 @ 18:00 P.M

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