Sir William Orpen, R.H.A., R.A. (1878-1931)

The setting is Davy Byrne's pub in Duke Street, Dublin, and is probably one of the back rooms mentioned in Stories, pp. 44-45. From Joseph's O'Connor's description of the summer classes which Orpen taught at the Metropolitan School of Art it is possible to imagine the artist having a quick pint with his brother during class, hiding himself away in a back room of the pub (see B. Arnold, op. cit., pp. 168-69 and 273).

There is at least one other version of this drawing, a copy of which can be seen hanging in Davy Byrne's today.

The Orpen Research Project