Finnegans Wake Painting

The painting depicts James Joyce’s return to Ireland following his death in Zurich. He rows up the Liffey in a simple wooden casket using his pencils as oars. There he meets the clergy, scholars and politicians who declined his repatriation drifting out to sea. They are the aristocracy, people of power and influence represented by the chess pieces. He recalls the opening line of his book Finnegans Wake, “riverrun, past Eve and Adam's, from swerve of shore to bend of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to Howth Castle and Environs." His patron and good friend Harriett Shaw Weaver, an English political activist and magazine editor watches from the banks. He slips into a deep sleep and becomes Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker (HCE) the main character in his book Finnegans Wake. HCE is surrounded by his wife Anna Livia Plurabelle (ALP) and family, twin boys Shem and Shaun and younger daughter Izzy. He watches the MAMALUJOs, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in a currach in Dublin Bay. As they drift in the bay they can be seen sifting through the floating souls and separating the wheat from the chaff. The love of his life ALP, or as she is better known, the Liffey, keeps him afloat as she cries out “Rise up man of the hooths you have slept so long”. She herself is nearing the end of her life and as she flows into Dublin Bay she whispers her final words "a way a lone a last a loved a long the river run”. The sky darkens and the thunderwords can be heard announcing the end of an era while “Them four hoarsemen on their apolkaloops” cast a shadow of gloom across the bay. The ghost of Sir Tristan’s longship “fr’over the short sea” on his way to collect Princess Iseult can be seen reflected in the still waters of the Liffey. He thinks about his children, the twins Shaun and Shem and his younger daughter Izzy. Shaun has a “cashy job” with the Post Office. He has no particular talent but enjoys delivering the news. He is envious of his brother Shem who is a talented artist and writer. Izzy is still in her early teens and is over shadowed by her older brothers who are often quarrelling. He sees an image of himself resting in a deckchair contemplating his life and the critical attention he and his work has received. He recalls Aesop's Fables of The Ondt and the Gracehoper. The Ondt is hard working, industrious and critical of the life of the artist and exclaims “your genus is worldwide, your spacest sublime! / But, Holy Saltmartin, why can't you beat time.” He notices that the washer women are gossiping about him and spreading malicious rumours. “The devil! They cry scorching my hand and starving my fa-mine to make his private linen public.” Night falls and the washer women become weary, one cries out “I feel as old as yonder elm” and her companion then sighs “I feel as heavy as yonder stone.” He observes himself sitting in the garden of Eden, beast-like on a bistro chair. He feel a sense of guilt, shame and innocence. His wife APL holds a letter she has written defending his honour. The letter has been dictated by APL, written by Shem and given to Shaun to post. The letter never reaches its intended destination, ending up in a midden heap where it is unearthed by a hen named Biddy. He wonders if his son has deliberately discarded it. He looks at the Ardagh Chalice on the table containing the communion wine and remembers those innocents days of his childhood. He sees the vine as it snakes around the tree of life and coils around its branches in a controlling embrace. He contemplates the vine that grows the grapes that produces the wine that heals the soul. He reflects on himself as he hears the haunting sound of the wild geese as they fly over Dublin bay never to return. As they go they take one last look at Ireland’s green fields before they head out to sea.

Painting:Acrylic on Wood

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:48 W x 36 H x 0.5 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.