Thursday, February 22, 2024 – LOST ART OR JUST MISPLACED AND FORGOTTEN

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THURSDAY


FEBRUARY 22, 2024

THE ALOYSIUS O’KELLY

PAINTINGS

 

OF BLACKWELL’S ISLAND

ISSUE # 1187

JUDITH BERDY

During the 1920’s Aloysisus O’Kelly painted a series of paintings of Blackwell’s Island and the East River.

Years ago, I saw 5 of the painting at a conference room at Metropolitan Hospital. I took photos, just in case…..

Originally the painting I assume were hung at the Metropolitan Hospital on Blackwell’s Island.

Recently the NYC Health + Hospitals Arts in Medicine program has been surveying the collections of all the hospitals and facilities.  The survey for Metropolitan Hospital  lists two of the 5 paintings as being on site. The
others may still be there, but not yet discovered.

Two other paintings were listed by an auction gallery on the internet.

Thanks to Larissa Trinder and the Arts in Medicine program for discovering many great artworks that have been lost of not on view at our H+H facilities.
 

Aloysius O’Kelly

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aloysius O’Kelly

Aloysius O’Kelly

Born	3 July 1853 Dublin, Ireland
Died	12 January 1936 Poughkeepsie, New York
Nationality	Irish
Education	École des Beaux-Arts, Paris
Known for	Painter, sculptor
Movement	Orientalist

Aloysius O’Kelly (3 July 1853 in Dublin – 12 January 1936) was an Irish painter.

Early life

Aloysius was born to John and Bridget O’Kelly in Peterson’s Lane (now Lombard Street East), Dublin 3 July 1853. He was the youngest of four boys and one girl. The O’Kelly family along with Aloysius’ cousins, the Lawlors, made up a network of artists and political activists in 19th-century Irish cultural history. His grandparents on his father’s side were natives of County Roscommon and his father ran a blacksmith’s shop and dray making business in Peterson’s Lane.^[1] His uncle on his mother’s side was John Lawlor, a successful sculptor, and his cousin, Michael Lawlor, was also a sculptor employed in London. Aloysius’ brothers, Charles and Stephen, also became artists, whereas the eldest brother, James J. O’Kelly, set forth on a successful political career. O’Kelly’s mother directed him towards a career in the arts.

In 1861, John’s father died and Bridget, whose brother, John Lawlor (1820-1901) was already an established sculptor in London. moved her family there. Lawlor became a father figure to her children, especially her sons. Lawlor took on the boys, including Aloysius, as apprentices in his studio.^[2]

Career

Mass in a Connemara Cabin by Aloysius O’Kelly, 1883

O’Kelly traveled to Paris in order to enroll at the École des Beaux-Arts in 1874, where he studied under Bonnat and Gérôme. To enter the Gérôme’s atelier was a great honour, however, the master was exceedingly strict and merciless in his criticism; such that a number of students could not last the distance. It is uncertain whether O’Kelly ever matriculated.

From Gérôme, O’Kelly developed an interest in Oriental scenes. He traveled to Brittany in 1876, painting its aesthetic coastlines, fishing ports and villages.

In October 1881, Charles Stewart Parnell, a member of Parliament and leader of the Irish Party, was arrested and imprisoned in Kilmainham. Two days following his arrest, Aloysius’ brother, James J. O’Kelly, along with some other Party members, including John Dillon, were imprisoned where they remained until May 1882. A number of Aloysius’ drawings during this period portrayed the political situation dealing with his brother’s incarceration.^[4]

Aloysius inevitably became embroiled in the murky and often secretive life of his brother. He began to paint and sketch political activists including members of the Land League.

O’Kelly lived in Concarneau, Connemara and eventually the United States, painting rural scenes in the prior and city life in New York City.^[5] He knew Mark Twain, and painted a depiction of Huckleberry Finn, which the author inspected and commented on.^{[citation needed]}

O’KELLY’S WORKS AT METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL

DRAPER HALL-NURSES RESIDENCE, BLACKWELL’S ISLAND
LABELED AS GOLDWATER HOSPITAL) PAINTING ON SITE AT HOSPITAL

LIBRARY – PROBABLY DRAPER HALL, BLACKWELL’S ISLAND

CHAPEL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT- BLACKWELL’S ISLAND
PAINTING IS ON SITE AT METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL

METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL BUIDINGS, BLACKWELL’S ISLAND

SACRED HEART CHURCH-BLACKWELL’S ISLAND

OTHER WORKS BY O’KELLY

INFIRMARY ISLAND-1924

PAINTING OF EAST RIVER

THURSDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY

SEND YOUR SUBMSSION TO:
ROOSEVELTISLANDHISTORY@GMAIL.COM

WEDNESDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY

CENTRAL STAIRCASE OF THE OCTAGON
1970’S PHOTO
ARON EISENPREISS AND SHARON BERMON GOT IT RIGHT!

Text by Judith Berdy

ROOSEVELT ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS ARTS IN MEDICINE
LARISSA TRINDER
HERITAGE AUCTIONS

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