After Alice Maher, Abstract, 20th Century, Watercolour, Framed

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Description

Measurements:
height: 31.5 cm; width: 31 cm; depth: 1.8 cm

item :
a wonderful abstract watercolor on paper, signed and … Read more Measurements:
height: 31.5 cm; width: 31 cm; depth: 1.8 cm

item :
a wonderful abstract watercolor on paper, signed and attributed to irish artist alice maher (b. 1956), characterized by a free and gestural composition built on large transparent areas and color overlays. The work is completed by a thin, modern black frame with a light-colored mat. The scene is dominated by a large, arched shape in shades of blue and blue-green, which appears to represent a distant horizon, with a small, stylized bush at the bottom. On the left, it is flanked by a vertical figure in shades of yellow, green, and brown, depicting a stylized male figure facing the horizon. The artist leaves the white of the paper largely exposed, using it as an active element of the composition, alternating diluted and transparent areas with more concentrated passages, with drips and rapid strokes that give the work a spontaneous character, attributable to a language of lyrical and gestural abstraction even within a controlled compositional structure. At the bottom right, a cursive signature appears, graphically consistent with the artist's name, but not authenticated by certification or documented provenance: for this reason, the work is correctly presented as "attributed to alice maher" and not as a certain work. The attribution is based on stylistic, chronological, and graphic consistency with the artist's production: maher is indeed documented using paper and watercolor from the early stages of her career, and the proposed dating, circa 1985-1995, is fully compatible with that phase. Furthermore, the handwritten signature in the lower right corner of the watercolor, clearly visible in close-up photographs, is fluid and cursive, a handwriting and signature consistent with the artist's surname.

useful information for evaluating this item:
the market for alice maher's works on paper fluctuates widely depending on size, technique, period, and, above all, authentication. Among the auction results for certain works, noteworthy are, for the small-format works closest to ours: "watching the wind" (1991, gouache, 21 x 29.2 cm), sold for €500 at whyte's in 2017; "jardin de mon coeur" (1991, mixed media on paper), with comparable examples ranging from €300 to €460; and an "untitled" from 2001 for approximately €330. Larger works fetch higher prices, such as "tormented times" (1988) at €900 or "foxtail" (2003, charcoal) at €1,600, while large works from the "coma berenices" series have reached peaks of €7,200-12,684. These results, however, refer to works catalogued as authentic and documented; they cannot be automatically transferred to the present example, which remains attributed. For this reason, and considering that the hammer prices listed above must be added to the 25-30% buyer's premium, the estimate should be conservative, within an indicative price range, in our opinion, of €300-500. This value reflects both the intrinsic quality of the watercolor and its full consistency with the artist's style, as well as the necessary caution due to the lack of certification.

artist and/or manufacturer information:
alice maher, rha, was born in 1956 in kilmoyler, county tipperary, and trained at the crawford municipal college of art in cork and the university of ulster. She is now one of the most prominent figures in irish contemporary art, active in sculpture, photography, installation, and works on paper, with a practice that explores themes of childhood, death, and the cultural construction of identity, particularly gender. A member of aosdána, the irish association of leading artists, maher has exhibited in major international venues; works such as "berry dress" (1994) are held at the irish museum of modern art in dublin. In 2026, she was selected for the main international exhibition of the 61st venice biennale, curated by koyo kouoh, where she presented a reconstruction of her 1996 installation "les filles d'ouranos" along with new works on paper and sculpture. His work continues to attract museum and market attention, with prices that, as the auction results above show, vary significantly according to technique, size and period, confirming his consolidated position in the irish and international contemporary art scene. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less