Roderic O'Conor (1860-1940) Le Marin Barbu (c.1891) Oil on canvas, 54.7 x 46cm (21½ x 18'') Stamped verso with 'Atelier O'Conor' Atelier stamp, verso The technique used in this portrait is entirely consistent with Roderic O’Conor’s “a la prima” method of painting, best described as a wristy, or vigorous, and expressive use of the brush, with drawing and painting fully integrated in the one process. The intensity of the sitter’s gaze is also typical of O’Conor’s portraiture, with the subject looking directly at the artist while the work was in progress. The rugged appearance of this old bearded man suggests that he was most likely a local Pont-Aven fisherman. The Aven is a tidal river that flows through Pont-Aven and gives direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. The light cast from the left highlights the subject’s weathered skin, which O’Conor has captured with bold and loose brush strokes. His use of color on the face and beard stand out in strong contrast with the dark coat and background, emphasizing the image of a man who has seen a life of hardship and hard labor. The atelier stamp verso confirms that the painting was among the works included in the Drouot dispersal sale in Paris of the contents of O’Conor’s studio, following his death in Neuil-sur-Layon in 1940. While the works were in storage in a Paris warehouse prior to the auction they were most likely stacked together. It may be that the canvas was cut down by one of the handlers hired by the auctioneer prior to the sale. Dr. Roy Johnston, August 2022