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38 Neville Johnson RHA RUA (1911-1999) Birdsigned lower right & titled on reverse
oil on board
45.5 x 61cm (18 x 24in)
Provenance:
Collection of Mrs. Marton;
The Pasadena Art Institute (label verso);
James Adams, Dublin, 28th March 2007 Lot 131;
Private Collection
Exhibited:
The Artists of Ireland Exhibition, USA, where purchased by Mrs Marton
€5,000-7,000 (£4,347-6,086)
Nevill Johnson (1911-1999) was born in England but relocated to Dublin in 1949 where he was able to develop himself as an artist,
writer and photographer. He had no formal art training but became friendly with accomplished artist John Luke, whom he took great
influence from and shared a studio with for a time.
He exhibited regularly at Victor Waddington’s alongside Louis le Brocquy, Colin Middleton, Gerard Dillon and Daniel O’Neill.
He also exhibited at the Dawson Gallery and with Tom Calwell from the early 1970s to the 1990s. Johnson’s son, along with Eoin
O’Brien, created a memoir of his writings, art work, photographs and life in Paint the Smell of Grass, and his son has also donated
a number of his father’s works to University College Dublin (UCD) to establish an annual scholarship in support of aspiring artists.