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, Irish, 1865-1945
Title
The Jewel
Date1903-1904
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions
127.5 x 102 cm
Credit LinePurchased, 1985
Object numberNGI.4498
Label TextHere, O’Brien uses a conventional setting, the comfortable domestic interior, to demonstrate his versatility and technical competence. In a congested composition, he showcases his skill in portraiture, still-life painting, figure drawing, the management of space and the description of fabric and texture. Mastering such disciplines was at the core of traditional academic training and practice. The three female figures are in fact the artist’s wife Mabel in different costumes, and the infant, captivated by the dangling jewel, his son Brendan.