ROBERT HENRI (1865-1929)

Irish Lass is among Robert Henri's best examples of his celebrated portraits of Irish children. Indeed, the artist described this work and another Irish portrait Irish Lad (1913, Private Collection) as "pictures that I particularly like and...have variety." (as quoted in From New York to Corrymore: Robert Henri and Ireland, exhibition catalogue, Charlotte, North Carolina, 2011, p. 65)

Valerie Leeds writes, "Irish Lass and Irish Lad are also among Henri's notable child portraits of that year. Both likenesses depict this new Irish type of child, innocent yet composed—qualities that reflected Henri's perspective on children and characteristics he found compelling about them as subjects: 'If one has a love of children as human beings, and realizes the greatness that is in them, no better subjects for painting can be found. The majority of people patronize children and look down on them rather than up to them...in reality it is the children that have not yet been buried under...conventions and details which burden most grownups.'" (From New York to Corrymore: Robert Henri and Ireland, p. 65)