A century after it disappeared, an important Irish painting has been found — on eBay. John Mulvany’s The Battle of Aughrim was last seen in Denver in 1914, and for the last seven years has been sought by Prof Niamh O’Sullivan, of the National College of Art and Design.
"I was on eBay earlier this year looking for something by another artist," explained Prof O'Sullivan, "when this flashed up for a second and then disappeared again. I had difficulty in finding it again."
Painted in Dublin in 1885, Mulvany's large oil depicts the 1691 battle between Williamite and Jacobite forces. Although a defeat for the Jacobites and Irish, it was later appropriated as a victorious moment by the Gaelic revivalists of which Mulvany was a leading artist.
Where it disappeared to remains a mystery, but it was offered for sale twice on eBay at $50,000-$100,000. Its San Francisco dealer presumed it was a US military scene. However, the artist's great grandniece travelled to confirm its provenance.
It was bought by Dublin's Gorry Gallery in a private sale, and this week returned to Ireland. "I was holding my breath," said Prof O'Sullivan of finally seeing it at first-hand. "But it is a major find and serious quality." After minor cosmetic work and a new frame, it will be put on public display at the gallery in December. It will also be for sale, with the hope that a public institution might purchase it. It will not, however, be sold through eBay.