The Picture of Joe Roc: A Portrait from a Different Time

How did a French boy come to be painted by one Ireland's greatest portrait painters? Joseph Delaroche (Joe Roc) is based on a real person with an extraordinary life. Caught up in the turmoil of the early twentieth century this restless young man pursues the dream of becoming an artist. On his journey he encounters some of the most influential painters of the time; Degas, Monet, Picasso, William Orpen, Richard Sickert and Henry Moore. From Dieppe, where he meets Oscar Wilde, to Paris, London and the North East of England we follow his loves, his intrigues and his life in the trenches during the First World War. A surprisingly unconventional story told by a gripping storyteller.
Owen Lennox is a well respected portrait painter and historian, like any good artist he has his signature style, and as with his painting his writing has its own compelling voice. To this voice he adds his practical knowledge of painting, art history and history of the period. The first edition was very well received and prompted the intriguing quote from one reviewer ‘It’s like reading a love letter to Sunderland.’

Alice Casey