Sir William Orpen KBE RA RHA, 
Irish 1878-1931 - 
Scene from the Arabian Nights, possibly...

Sir William Orpen KBE RA RHA, 
Irish 1878-1931 - 

Scene from the Arabian Nights, possibly 'Nouridden and the Fair'; 

ink and pencil on paper, signed lower right in pencil 'Orpen', 24 x 28 cm 

Provenance: 
Sotheby's, London, 16th May 2002; 
Pyms Gallery, London, stock no.H782 and purchased from the above (label attached to the reverse) 

Exhibited: 
Imperial War Museum, London, 'William Orpen: Politics, Sex and Death', 21st January-2nd May 2005, no.77 

Note: 
This charming example showcases Orpen’s mastery of form. The tales of the 'One Thousand and One Nights' gained mass popularity during the Victorian era and inspired this series of illustrations c.1899. This particular work pays homage to Rembrandt’s etching 'Nude Woman seated on a Mound' c.1631, which was exhibited in the British Museum around this time.

Irish born Sir William Orpen was one of the most important artists working in early 20th century Britain and his work made while an Official War Artist in WWI are now considered amongst the most powerful paintings depicting war ever made. 

Orpen’s work was synonymous with the endeavours and achievements of Mary and Alan Hobart at Pyms Gallery, as they were instrumental in bringing about a reappraisal of his work in the late 20th century. Due to various feuds with Augustus John and Wyndham Lewis amongst others, Orpen's reputation has been tarnished following his death and was rarely exhibited or written about. From their 1982 ‘The Irish Revival’, the Hobarts exhibited important Irish modern artists at their gallery in London, bringing these figures back to prominence. Orpen’s work was central to their private collection and was featured heavily in the exhibition ‘Championing Irish Art: The Mary and Alan Hobart Collection’ at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2023.