William J Pearse - 1916 Poster

Rare William James Pearse 1916 commemorative poster.

William James Pearse ; Irish: Uilliam Seamus Mac Piarais; (15 November 1881 – 4 May 1916) was an Irish republican executed for his part in the Easter Rising. He was a younger brother of Patrick Pearse, a leader of the rising.Willie Pearse was born in Dublin and throughout his life lived in the shadow of his brother to whom he was devoted and with whom he formed a particularly close relationship.
William Pearse inherited his father's artistic abilities and became a sculptor. He was educated at the Christian Brothers School, Westland Row. He studied at the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin under Oliver Sheppard. He also studied art in Paris. While attending the Kensington School of Art in London he gained notice for several of his artworks. Some of his sculptures are to be found in Limerick Cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Eunan and St Columba, Letterkenny and several Dublin churches. He was trained to take over his father's stonemason business, but gave it up to help run St. Enda's School which Patrick had founded in 1908. He was involved in the arts and theatre at St. Enda's, and aided the overall running of the school.
William followed his brother into the Irish Volunteers and the Republican movement. He took part in the Easter Rising in 1916, always staying by his brother's side at the General Post Office. Following the surrender he was court-martialled and sentenced to death. It has been said that it was his surname that condemned him rather than his role however, at his court martial he emphasised his involvement in the Rising which seems likely given his closeness to his brother as a key leader in the separatist and physical force movement. On 3 May, Pearse was granted permission to visit his brother in Kilmainham Gaol, to see him for the final time. However, while Willie was en route, Patrick was executed first. Willie was executed on 4 May. He and his brother were the only two brothers to be executed after the Easter Rising.

Originally printed and published by O'Loughlin, Murphy and Boland, using a photo by Keogh Bros., the text below the photograph simply states: "WILLIAM J. PEARSE , Executed, May 4th, , 1916".

This is another fine reproduction on 210 gsm satin art paper , beautifully mounted on a mottled green suede background and set behind glass in a handmade, aged dark mahogany finish frame with a gold gilt sightline.