Ocean to Outback: Australian landscape painting...

40 nationalgalleryofaustralia

travell ingexhibition

Fromthewhiteheatofourbeachestotheredheartof

centralAustralia,OceantoOutback:Australianlandscape

painting1850–1950conveysthegreatbeautyanddiversity

oftheAustraliancontinent.CuratedbytheNationalGallery’s

DirectorRonRadford,thismajortravellingexhibitionis

acelebrationoftheGallery’stwenty-fifthanniversary.It

featurestreasuredAustralianlandscapepaintingsfromthe

nationalcollectionandwilltraveltovenuesthroughouteach

Australianstateandterritoryuntil2009.

Encompassingcolonialthroughtomodernistworks,the

exhibitionspansthegreatcenturyofAustralianlandscape

art.From1850to1950landscapewasthemostpainted

andcelebratedthemeinAustralianart.Aswellasimages

whichconveythegeographicalextremesofthecontinent,

OceantoOutbackincludesworksthatreflectsignificant

eventsthattransformedthesocialfabricofAustralia–

droughtsandbushfires,thegoldrushes,theDepression,

andtimesofwar.

Theexhibitionbeginswithadramaticshipwreckscene

offTasmania’seastcoastpaintedbyconvictartistKnutBull

(1811–1889).Thewreckofthe‘GeorgetheThird’1850

depictstheaftermathoftheshipwreckin1835ofthe

convicttransportship.Followingafour-monthvoyagefrom

LondonandboundforHobart,the35-metreshipentered

D’EntrecasteauxChannelontheeveningof12April1835.

Lessthan200kilometresfromitsdestination,theship

strucksubmergedrockandinthecatastrophethatfollowed

127ofthe220convictsonboarddied.2Survivors’accounts

saidtheship’screwfiredtheirweaponsatconvictswho,in

astateofpanic,attemptedtobreakfromtheirconfinesas

thevesselwentdown.

Thepaintingisdominatedbyahugesky,withthe

brokenGeorgetheThirddwarfedbytheexpanse.Waves

crashoverthedecksoftheshipwhileafewfiguresinthe

foregroundattempttosalvagecargoandsupplies.Thisis

aseascapethatevokestrepidationandanxiety.Thesmall

figurescontributetothefeelingofhumanvulnerability

whenchallengedbytheextremitiesofnature.

Australia’sfinestlatecoloniallandscapeartistfrom

theperiod,EugenevonGuérard(1811–1901),painted

imagesofAustraliafromtheperspectiveofanobserver,

explorerandaresident.VonGuérardreceivednumerous

commissionsfor‘homesteadportraits’.Thesecommissions

weregenerallypaintingsofpropertiesownedbygraziers

whowerekeentodisplaytheresultsoftheirhard

laboursontheland.SchnapperPointfrom‘Beleura’1870

waspaintedforJamesButchartwhoownedBeleura

homestead,builtin1863.SchnapperPointislocatednear

MorningtonPeninsulaonMelbourne’sPortPhillipBay

(approximatelyfortykilometresfromMelbourne).Von

Guérarddepictsthesweepingviewsfromtheproperty

acrossthebay–anareathathadbecomeapopular

holidaydestinationforMelbourneresidents.

OceantoOutback:Australianlandscapepainting1850–1950

KnutBullThewreckofthe

‘GeorgetheThird’1850oiloncanvas

84.5x123.0cmNationalGalleryofAustralia,

CanberraPurchasedwithfundsfromtheNerissaJohnsonBequest2001

EugenevonGuérardSchnapperPointfrom

‘Beleura’1870oiloncanvas66.1x104.2cm

NationalGalleryofAustralia,CanberraFromtheJames

Fairfaxcollection,giftofBridgestarPtyLtd1995

4August2007–3May2009

…itiscontinuallyexciting,thesecuriousandstrangerhythmswhichonediscoversinavastlandscape,thejuxtapositionoffigures,ofobjects,allthesethingsareexciting.Addtothatagainthepeculiarityoftheparticularlandinwhichwelivehere,andyougetaqualityofstrangenessthatyoudonotfind,Ithink,anywhereelse.RussellDrysdale,19601

ExplorationoftheAustraliancontinentbyEuropeanswasariskyandarduouspursuit.Theprofessionalexplorer–artistThomasBaines(1820–1875)wasoneofagroupofeighteenpeoplewhoformedthe1855NorthAustralianExpeditionparty.Thepurposeofthisexpeditionwastodeterminetheexistenceofnaturalresourcesforsettlementinfarnorth-westAustralia.UnderthecommandofAugustusCharlesGregorytheexpeditionlastedfromAugust1855toNovember1856,withthegroupreachingthemouthoftheVictoriaRiverontheuppernorth-westcoastoftheNorthernTerritoryon15September1855. Baines’sofficialroleinthepartywasasartistandstorekeeper–hemadehundredsofsketches,recordedweatherconditionsandkeptadetailedjournalofdailylife.PaintedinLondonsomethirteenyearsaftertheexpedition,Goutystemtree,AdansoniaGregorii,58feetcircumference,nearacreeksouth-eastofStokesRange,VictoriaRiver1868depictsthepartycampsiteandanenormouswater-yieldingbaobabtree.Theartisthaspaintedhimselfinthelowerright-handside,sittingunderneathamakeshiftsheltersketchingthetree. WhileartistssuchasThomasBainesrecordedthefarreachesofAustralia,themajorsettlementsofSydneyand

Melbournecontinuedtoexpand.Railsoonconnected

townshipslocatedclosetotheBlueMountainsand

DandenongRangestoSydneyandMelbourne.TomRoberts

(1856–1931)andArthurStreeton(1867–1943)usedthe

railtotraveltotheoutskirtsofMelbournewherethey

establishedartists’campsonthefringeofsuburbia,firstat

BoxHillandlateratEaglemont.

TomRobertsfirstvisitedBoxHilltopaintin1882,

accompaniedbyFrederickMcCubbin(1855–1917)and

LouisAbrahams(1852–1903).Theartistssetupcampon

landownedbyalocalfarmer,DavidHouston.3InASunday

afternoonc.1886Robertsdepictsanintimatepicnic.

Framedbyspindlygumsandbathedindappledlight,a

youngcouplerelaxinthebush,thewomanreadingtoher

companionfromanewspaper.Atthetime,abeliefinthe

healthbenefitsofcountryairwasbecomingpopularwith

citydwellers,whosoughtrecreationalactivitiesinthebush

orbytheocean.Roberts’sobservanteyedepictssmall

detailsinthisscenesuchasthetrailofsmokefromthe

man’spipe,thedarkwinebottleonthecrispwhitecloth

andthelightfallingsoftlyontheleavesoftheeucalypts.

ThomasBainesGoutystemtree,

AdansoniaGregorii,58feetcircumference,near

acreeksouth-eastofStokesRange,VictoriaRiver1868

oiloncanvas45.2x66.5cmNationalGalleryofAustralia,

CanberraPurchased1973

42 nationalgalleryofaustralia

artonviewspring2007 43

ArthurStreeton’sTheselector’shut(Whelanonthelog)1890isanimagethatconveysthe‘pioneeringspirit’whichunderpinnedtheAustraliannationalistattitudeofthelatenineteenthcentury.Streetondepictediconicelementsoftheland–the‘blueandgold’ofskyandearth,goldengrassandshimmeringlight,aslendersilhouettedgumtree,andabushpioneer.Heshowsamanatrestfromthetoilofclearingthelandandmakinghishome.ThemandepictedisJackWhelan,thecaretakeroftheEaglemontestatewhereStreetonhadbeengivenpermissiontosetup‘camp’inanoldhouseinthesummerof1888.EarlythenextyearhewasjoinedbyCharlesConder(1868–1909)andTomRoberts.Thecampprovidedtheperfectworkingenvironment–areasonablyisolatedbushlocationclosetothecityofMelbourne. WorksbyAustralianImpressionistssuchasRoberts,StreetonandCondershowcasethenationalcollection’sgreatholdingsfromthisperiod.Alongsidethesearescenesofmodern,mistyMelbourneascapturedbyClariceBeckett(1887–1935).Beckett’slyricalandevocativelandscapesremainedlargelyunknowntoAustralianaudiencesduringherlifetime.Shewasadedicatedartistwho,despitedismissivereviewsandfewsales,continuedtopaintandexhibitregularly.

Beckettalwayspaintedoutdoors,usuallyintheearlymorningorevening,aroundthebaysandstreetsofherfamilyhomeintheMelbournebeachsidesuburbofBeaumaris.Shesoughttoconveythebeautyofherlocalenvironment,beitthroughtheafterglowofabrightsunset,theshimmeringheatofatarredroadorheadlightsshiningthroughmistyrain.Sheexcelledatdepictingparticulareffectsofnature,suchashaze,rain,mistandsmoke.Beaumarisseascapec.1925isameditativeimageofastillsea,atree-linedcliffanddistantcoastline.Becketthaspaidcloseattentiontothesubtleeffectsoflightandshadereflectedinthewater.Thesoftlilacandpinkhuesofthesea,coastlineandskydissolveintobandsofcolour.Thesubjectissotonallyreduceditappearstobealmostabstracted. Workbyanotherfemaleartistoftheperiod,EliseBlumann(1897–1990),depictsaferociousstormsceneonPerth’sSwanRiver.BlumannpaintedtheSwanandthenativemelaleucatreesoftheregionmanytimes.EscapingtheNaziregimethatdevastatedmuchofEurope,German-bornBlumanncametoPerthwithherhusbandandtwochildrenin1938.EducatedattheBerlinAcademyofArtsandtheRoyalArtSchoolBerlin,Blumannwasfamiliar

TomRobertsASundayafternoonc. 1886oiloncanvas41.0x30.8cmNationalGalleryofAustralia,CanberraPurchased1984

ArthurStreetonTheselector’shut(Whelanonthelog)1890oiloncanvas76.7x51.2cmNationalGalleryofAustralia,CanberraPurchased1961

artonviewspring2007 45

withthemodernartofEurope.InAustraliahermodernistpaintingwasunconventional,andshewasregardedasavaluedmemberofPerth’sartisticcommunity. InStormontheSwan1946Blumannusesbroadsweepinggestures–stronghorizontalanddiagonalbrushwork–tocapturethepowerofastorm.Windandrainbeatagainstthelimbsofthetreeswhichappeartoalmostfloatinspace.ThisdynamicandsensitivecompositiondisplaysBlumann’smodernapproachtoherartandherdesiretocapturethe‘essentialspirit’ofnature.4Areasofthepainting’ssurfaceareblank,whileothersarescratchedwiththeendofherbrushtoindicatesharp,fastrain.Thisisavigorous,physicalandquicklyexecutedwork,apowerfulresponsetothespeedinwhichastormcanapproachandpass. ModernistexperimentsofcolourtheorybyRolandWakelin(1887–1971)andRoydeMaistre(1894–1968)areincludedintheexhibition.IndeMaistre’srarelyexhibitedForestlandscapec.1920hehasadaptedthesubjectofafelledtreetocreateapaintingconcernedwithmodernistprinciplesofform,rhythm,symmetryandcolour.Historically,thesubjectofthefelledtreeintheAustralianbushhasreflectedartisticinterestsinruralindustry,thenaturalgrandeurofforestsand,insomeinstances,anawarenessofconservationissuesrelatedtolossanddestruction.FordeMaistre,treetrunkshavebeenreducedtoangularplanesofcolourandthecompositionisunited

byvividgreensthatportraytheforestfloorandfoliage.DeMaistrehasexploredarangeofcolourtones,usingsubtleshiftsingreens,redsandbrownsthroughoutthepainting. ForestlandscapebelongstoaperiodwhendeMaistrewasinterestedinthebrokencolourapproachofCézanneandtherelationshipbetweencolourandmusic.HehadstudiedviolinandviolaattheSydneyConservatorium,andartattheRoyalArtSocietyofNewSouthWalesandJulianAshtonArtSchool.WorkingwithmusicianAdrianVerbrugghenhedevelopedacolourmusicscalewherethespectrumofcoloursrelatedtonotesofthemajorandminormusicalscales.ThecolourmusictheorywasfurtherunderscoredbydeMaistre’sinterestinthepsychologicaleffectsofcolouranditsrelationshiptotheexpressionofemotionalstates.QuotingtheEnglishpoet-performerandcolourtheoristBeatriceIrwin,deMaistrewrotethatcolour‘bringstheconsciousrealisationofthedeepestunderlyingprinciplesofnature…itconstitutestheverysongoflifeandis,asitwere,thespiritualspeechofeverylivingthing’.5

AnumberofpaintingsinOceantoOutbackrevealhowartistsusedthelandscapeasinspirationduringdifficulttimesofdrought,depressionorwar.WorksbyRussellDrysdale(1912–1981)andSidneyNolan(1917–1992)explorethedramaandexpressivepossibilitiesinherentintheland.In1944DrysdalewascommissionedbytheSydneyMorningHeraldtoaccompanyjournalistKeithNewmantowesternNewSouthWalestodocument

EliseBlumannStormontheSwan1946oilonpapermountedoncardboardoncompositionboard57.0x67.0cmNationalGalleryofAustralia,CanberraPurchased1978

RoydeMaistreForestlandscapec.1920oiloncardboard35.4x40.6cmNationalGalleryofAustralia,CanberraPurchased1971

(opposite)ClariceBeckettBeaumarisseascapec.1925oiloncardboard50.0x49.0cmNationalGalleryofAustralia,CanberraPurchased1971

theeffectsofthedrought.ThisexperiencesignificantlychangedthewayheviewedtheAustralianlandscape.Thephotographsandsketcheshemadeonthetripinformedmuchofhisworkinthefollowingyears. InEmusinalandscape1950DrysdaleexploresthestrangeandsurrealqualitiesoftheAustralianoutback.Thenativebirdsmovequietlythroughthelandscape,passingaprecariouslyarrangedstructureofwoodandcorrugatediron.Thissculpturedmassofrefuserepresentstheremainsofaprevioussettlement.Itcouldbeanabandoneddwellingorawreckedshiponadriedinlandsea.Drysdalecreatesaslidingspacebetweenrealityandimagination,factandmyth,andcapturesthevastspaceandtimelessnessoftheoutback. Between1947and1950SidneyNolanspentmonthstravellingthroughremoteareasofAustralia.UsingmoneyhehadmadefromasuccessfulexhibitionofQueenslandoutbackpaintingsheldattheDavidJonesGalleryinSydneyinMarch1949,Nolan,accompaniedbyhiswifeCynthiaandstepdaughterJinx,travelledthroughCentralAustralia,

theNorthernTerritory,WesternAustraliaandSouthAustralia.Thistrip,fromJunetoSeptember1949,inspiredabodyofworkandaseriesofpaintingsthatdepictinlandAustraliafromanaerialperspective. InlandAustralia1950isanextraordinaryaerialimageofthe‘heart’ofthecontinent,possiblyoftheDurackRange.WiththecompositionboardlyingflatonatableNolanhaspushedthepaintaroundthesurfaceofthework.Insomeareasthepainthasbeenwipedback,exposingthewhiteundercoatofthecompositionboard.Theundulatingshapesandintensecolouroftheredearthevokean‘otherworldly’sensation–afeelingoftheland’sinherentgrandeur,timelessnessandmystery.Nolandescribedtheworkas‘acompositeimpressionofthecountryfromtheair’.PaintedinhisSydneystudio,heusedphotographstakenfromtheaeroplaneasavisualaid.InlandAustraliaisanexampleofNolan’stechniqueoffusingelementsfromexistinglocationswithalandscaperememberedfromexperience. OceantoOutback:Australianlandscapepainting1850–1950includesimagesofthefurthestpointsof

RussellDrysdale Emusinalandscape

1950oiloncanvas101.6x127.0cm

NationalGalleryofAustralia,CanberraPurchased1970

46 nationalgalleryofaustralia

artonviewspring2007 47

SidneyNolanInlandAustralia1950oilandenamelpaintoncompositionboard91.5x121.0cmNationalGalleryofAustralia,CanberraPurchased1961

distanceandgeographyacrossAustralia.Createdbysomeofourgreatestlandscapeartists,thesepaintingsrevealthecompellingbeauty,extremeconditionsandqualitiesoftheAustralianenvironmentthathavemadelandscapepaintingavitalforceinAustralianculture. a

BeatriceGraltonAssociateCurator,AustralianPaintingandSculpture

TheexhibitioncatalogueisavailablefromtheNationalGalleryofAustraliaShopon0262406420

Furtherinformationatnga.gov.au/OceantoOutback

notes1 RussellDrysdale,interviewbyHazeldeBerg,1960,Canberra:

NationalLibraryofAustralia,[deB27].2 MichaelRoe,AnImperialdisaster:thewreckofGeorgetheThird,

Hobart:BlubberHeadPress,2006,p.12.3 LeighAstbury,‘Memoryanddesire:BoxHill1855–88’,inTerence

Lane(ed.),Australianimpressionism,Melbourne:NationalGalleryofVictoria,2007,p.51.

4 JohnScott&RichardWoldendorp,LandscapesofWesternAustralia,Claremont,WesternAustralia:AeolianPress,1986,p.17.

5 RoydeMaistre,extractfromlectureon‘Colourinrelationtopainting’,inColourinart,exhibitioncatalogue,TheArtSalon,PenzanceChambers,Sydney,1919.

TamworthRegionalGallery,TamworthNSW,4August–22September2007

TasmanianMuseumandArtGallery,HobartTas.,5October–25November2007

RiddochArtGallery,MtGambierSA,8December2007–20January2008

BallaratFineArtGallery,BallaratVic.,2February–30March2008

LawrenceWilsonArtGallery,PerthWA,13April–1June2008

CairnsRegionalGallery,CairnsQLD,21June–27July2008

AraluenArtsCentre,AliceSpringsNT,9August–19October2008

NewcastleRegionArtGallery,NewcastleNSW,8November2008–18January2009

CanberraMuseumandGallery,CanberraACT,31January–3May2009