The Irish Times says the art market continues to recover in Ireland. Although the top works of art sold in the country in 2015 were a Chinese porcelain for €560k and a Native American ‘outfit’ made €320k, the paintings market seems to have been constrained more by lack of supply than a diminished demand.

Estimates for the top lot were greater than hammer price and Michael Flatley, the dancer-tuned-painter, was able to post the second highest price for an Irish artist sold in country lending credence to claims that he had sold €1m worth of art since his debut exhibition in 2015:

The highest price paid for a painting at auction in Ireland in 2015 was for Man in a Train Thinking by Jack B Yeats which sold for €220,000 at a de Veres auction in December.

The runner-up was Morgan O’Driscoll Auctioneers where Business – also by Jack B Yeats – made €210,000 in December. At Whyte’s, the top lot was Portrait of Gladys Cooper by Sir William Orpen which sold for €175,000 in May. At Adam’s, the highest price achieved was for Roundstone, Connemara by Jack B Yeats which sold for €58,000 in May.

The art market: recovery in Ireland while international boom continues (Irish Times)