George Russell ('Æ')

George Russell, also known as Æ, was born in Lurgan, Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland, in 1867. Considered as one of Ireland’s foremost writers and leading cultural figure, Russell was a radical intellectual and contributor to Irish public life and Literary Revival, 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 young William Butler Yeats who would remain his friend and rival throughout his life and career. Derived from the name ‘Aeon’ which meant ‘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 for his fascination of the occult, often depicting mystical and folklore spirits through dream-like and hazy 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 led rural cooperatives across the country. As a writer and poet, his Sundays evening salon organized at his house attracted the Irish literati circle with figures like Michael Collins, young James Joyce and George Moore. 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 aerial salute and his funeral brought together mourners like 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. (whytes.ie)

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Found 32 item(s) / Showing 1-28

'CHILDREN PLAYING IN WOODLAND GLADE'
- Price Realised: €12,500
- Sale: 27 May 2019
- oil on canvas
- 21 x 32in. (53.34 x 81.28cm)
'THE TENNIS PLAYERS'
- Price Realised: €11,000
- Sale: 06 June 2022
- oil on canvas
- 21 x 32in. (53.34 x 81.28cm)
'SWANS AT COOLE'
- Price Realised: €10,500
- Sale: 07 March 2022
- oil on canvas
- 21 x 32in. (53.34 x 81.28cm)
'THE BATHERS'
- Price Realised: €9,500
- Sale: 29 May 2023
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 21in. (40.64 x 53.34cm)
'THE GATHERING (LANDSCAPE WITH WOMEN BY A CHALK PIT)'
- Price Realised: €9,000
- Sale: 30 September 2024
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 21in. (40.64 x 53.34cm)
'LORDLY ONES APPEARING TO A TURF CUTTER'
- Price Realised: €7,900
- Sale: 26 November 2018
- oil on canvas
- 20¾ x 31¾in. (52.71 x 80.65cm)
'THREE WOMEN ON A SEASHORE'
- Price Realised: €7,500
- Sale: 16 September 2019
- oil on canvas
- 21 x 32in. (53.34 x 81.28cm)
'CHILDREN PLAYING IN A WOOD'
- Price Realised: €7,000
- Sale: 02 December 2024
- oil on canvas
- 20½ x 24in. (52.07 x 60.96cm)
'WOMAN ON MARBLE HILL STRAND, COUNTY DONEGAL'
- Price Realised: €7,000
- Sale: 04 December 2023
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 21in. (40.64 x 53.34cm)
'COASTAL LANDSCAPE WITH TWO FIGURES ON A HEADLAND'
- Price Realised: €6,600
- Sale: 29 September 2025
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 21in. (40.64 x 53.34cm)
'TWO FIGURES ON SHORE'
- Price Realised: €5,800
- Sale: 07 March 2022
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 21in. (40.64 x 53.34cm)
'CONTEMPLATION'
- Price Realised: €5,400
- Sale: 24 February 2014
- oil on canvas
- 21.25 by 32.25in., 53.125 by 80.625cm.
'THE VIEW FROM THE ROCKS'
- Price Realised: €5,000
- Sale: 28 September 2020
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 24in. (40.64 x 60.96cm)
'FIGURES BY THE SHORE'
- Price Realised: €4,800
- Sale: 29 May 2023
- oil on canvas
- 14 x 18in. (35.56 x 45.72cm)
'WOMAN AND CHILD ON A SEASHORE'
- Price Realised: €4,800
- Sale: 02 December 2019
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 21½in. (40.64 x 54.61cm)
'THREE FIGURES BY THE SHORE'
- Price Realised: €4,600
- Sale: 01 December 2025
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 21in. (40.64 x 53.34cm)
'GOOD-BYE'
- Price Realised: €4,600
- Sale: 02 December 2024
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 20in. (40.64 x 50.80cm)
'LANDSCAPE NORTH OF MUCKISH, COUNTY DONEGAL'
- Price Realised: €4,400
- Sale: 07 March 2022
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 21in. (40.64 x 53.34cm)
'FLIGHT'
- Price Realised: €4,100
- Sale: 26 November 2018
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 21in. (40.64 x 53.34cm)
'TWO WOMEN ON A BEACH WITH PARASOLS'
- Price Realised: €4,000
- Sale: 28 May 2018
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 21in. (40.64 x 53.34cm)
'THE OYSTER PICKERS'
- Price Realised: €3,800
- Sale: 31 May 2021
- oil on canvas
- 17 x 41in. (43.18 x 104.14cm)
'WOMEN IN DRESS, TWILIGHT'
- Price Realised: €3,600
- Sale: 28 May 2018
- oil on canvas
- 16 x 21in. (40.64 x 53.34cm)
'MOONLIGHT SCENE WITH TWO FIGURES ON A SHORE'
- Price Realised: €2,300
- Sale: 31 May 2021
- oil on canvas
- 15¾ x 20in. (40.01 x 50.80cm)
'LANDSCAPE WITH TWO FIGURES'
- Price Realised: €2,000
- Sale: 26 May 2025
- pastel
- 10 x 13¼in. (25.40 x 33.66cm)
'CELESTIAL FIGURE'
- Price Realised: €1,900
- Sale: 07 March 2022
- pastel
- 10 x 7in. (25.40 x 17.78cm)
'SEATED SPIRIT'
- Price Realised: €1,700
- Sale: 07 March 2022
- crayon
- 11¼ x 8½in. (28.58 x 21.59cm)
'PORTRAIT OF LIA CLARKE'
- Price Realised: €1,000
- Sale: 01 December 2025
- pencil
- 14 x 9½in. (35.56 x 24.13cm)
'LETTER TO JULY 5, 1935'
- Price Realised: €800
- Sale: 25 November 2019
- 8¾ x 6¾in. (22.23 x 17.15cm)