Brozik, Václav (1851-1901; Bohemian) The Defenestration, 1618 (1889) Oil on canvas, 132.7 x 210.6 cm Purchased, 1890 National Gallery of Victoria (p.316.1-1) Brozik, well known in his day as a painter of portraits and historical subjects, worked in both Prague and Paris. This work, typical of the later 19th-century taste for theatrical re-enactments of historical events, shows revolting
Braith, Anton (1836-1905; German) The Stud Herd 1875 Oil on canvas, 53.0 x 96.0 cm Purchased, 1884 National Gallery of Victoria (p.310.1-1) The painter, a native of Munich, was “a farm labourer’s son who took an interest in drawing animals at a very early age” (according to Bénézit), and subsequently specialized in scenes like this
Boyd, Emma Minnie (1858-1936; Australian) To the workhouse 1891 Oil on canvas, 91.0 x 61.2 cm Gift of Mrs Emma a’Beckett, 1893 National Gallery of Victoria (p.399.4-1) The artist came from a wealthy Anglo-Australian family, the a’Becketts, and showed early talent in both watercolour and oil painting. Encouraged by members of her family, including her uncle
Boyd, Arthur Merric, Senior (1862-1940; New Zealander/Australian) Waiting for the tide 1895 Oil on canvas, c. 88.9 x 134.62 cm Purchased, 1895 Unidentified; present location unknown This was one of several contemporary Australian paintings purchased for the Melbourne collection from the Victorian Artists’ Society in 1894-5: see e.g. Humphrey Under a Summer Sun 1895 {1895} NGV
Bough, Samuel (1822-78; English) Weald of Kent 1857 Oil on canvas, 123.0 x 183.8 cm Purchased, 1871 National Gallery of Victoria (p.303.3-1) Bough, who worked mostly in Scotland, was admired by Robert Louis Stevenson, among others; examples of his work are held in the Tate Gallery and other British collections. In the NGV’s McArthur Gallery, from
Botterill, John (1817-81; English/Australian) Sir Redmond Barry Oil on canvas, 77 x 64 cm (framed) Purchased, 1892 State Library of Victoria (H5193) This portrait of Barry, the key figure behind the founding of the Public Library of Victoria and the NGV (see linked entry), appears to be closely related to the portrait commissioned from George Folingsby
Bonington, Richard Parkes (1802-28; English/French) Low Tide at Boulogne (1818-28) Oil on cardboard, 22.0 x 17.8 cm Bequest of Alfred Felton, 1904 Previously National Gallery of Victoria (147-2), reported missing in 2011; present location unknown A precociously talented painter, Bonington relocated to Paris from England with his family while he was still a youth. He was mourned
Blaas, Eugène de (1843-1931; Austrian-Italian) Venetian Girl 1 and 2 Two panels, each c.30.5 x 22.9 cm Purchased, 1879; de-accessioned and sold at auction, 1950 Present locations unknown [photo: work reproduced in NGV 1894] An academic classicist, Blaas became Professor at the Academy in Venice (where he was known as Eugenio). He was well known for
Beyle, Pierre-Marie (1838-1902; French) The Last Resting Place of Coco (1878) Oil on canvas, 93.0 x 117.5 cm Purchased, 1881 National Gallery of Victoria (p.308.1-1) This painting was bought after being shown at the International Exhibition in Melbourne in 1880-81, and shortly afterwards the critic of the Melbourne Argus gave it glowing praise: “There is probably no picture
Bennetter, Johan Jacob (1822-1904; Norwegian) Fight between the ship of the line, Jupiter, and the French frigate, Preneuse, in the neighbourhood of Madagascar 11th October, 1799 1876 Oil on canvas, 138.6 x 220.3 cm Purchased, 1884 National Gallery of Victoria (p.310.7-1) This canvas, purchased in Melbourne, typifies the popular seascape genre of the period. Bennetter,
Bell, Eleanor (1848-1907; Irish) Grandmother’s Bible (c.1880) Oil on canvas, 74.7 x 106.2 cm Presented by friends of the artist, 1885 National Gallery of Victoria (p.311.2-1) New information provided by the artist’s descendants indicates the biographical dates shown here, showing that she was born in Ireland and died in New York, having worked in various centres
Beechey, William (1753-1839; English) Portrait of a Lady Oil on canvas, 125.7 x 93.3 cm Purchased by the Commissioners of Fine Arts for Victoria, 1865 National Gallery of Victoria (301.11/1) This canvas was bought in Melbourne, on the recommendation of Augustus Tulk (according to Leonard Cox). It was described at the time as a portrait
Bedford, John (1823-86; English) La Belle Yseult 1863 Oil on wood panel, 35.4 x 27.9 cm Purchased, 1864 (advice of Sir Charles Eastlake) National Gallery of Victoria (p.300.3-1) Bedford specialized in both portraits and historical subjects, and exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1848 onwards. This painting was shown at the RA in 1864, where Eastlake
Becker, Ludwig (1808-61; German/Australian) Old Prince’s Bridge and St.Paul’s by Moonlight 1857 Oil on canvas, 49.7 x 59.8 cm (sight), framed Bequest of Mrs Sarah Legge, 1894 State Library of Victoria (H287) This dramatic view of 1850s Melbourne shows the original Prince’s Bridge (demolished in 1884), the first St Paul’s Church of England and adjacent school, and other
Beavis, Richard (1824-96; English) The Charcoal Burners (1874) Oil on canvas, 87.0 x 124.8 cm Bequest of Alfred Felton, 1904 National Gallery of Victoria (135-2) One of the more highly valued paintings selected from Felton’s collection for the NGV by Bernard Hall, this canvas is prominent in the photographs of Felton’s rooms taken at the Esplanade Hotel in St Kilda prior
Baxter, Charles (1809-79; English) Rosebud of England 1861 Oil on canvas, c. 54.0 x 33.0 cm (21” x 13”) Purchased, 1864; de-accessioned and auctioned 1941 Unidentified, present location unknown [photo: detail of 1872 photo of the MPL’s Picture Gallery, presumably showing this work (SLV)] This painting, visible in early photos of the old picture gallery of
Baxter, Charles (1809-79; English) Rose of England 1861 Oil on canvas, 54.0 x 43.2 cm Purchased, 1864 (advice of Andrew Clarke) National Gallery of Victoria (p.300.1-1) This picture and its twin (* Baxter Rosebud of England 1861 {1864} Loc? [PA]), described in the 1864 English Art Journal as “fancy female portraits,” were among the earliest paintings
Works included in this catalogue Baxter Rose of England 1861 {1864} NGV [PA] * Baxter Rosebud of England 1861 {1864} Loc? [PA] Baxter exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy from 1834 onwards, pursuing what the NGV 1894 catalogue, in its entries on the two works below, describes in lukewarm terms as “a struggling career as a
Barak, William (1824-1903; Australian) Untitled [Aboriginal ceremony, with wallaby and emu] (c.1880s) Brown ochre and charcoal on cardboard, 73.0 x 56.0 cm Donated by John Mather, 1895 (probably) State Library of Victoria (H29641) This work is catalogued by the SLV as accessioned in 1967, but it seems inherently likely that it was one of the pair
Barak, William (1824-1903; Australian) Untitled [Aboriginal ceremony] (c.1880s) Brown ochre and charcoal on cardboard, 73.2 x 55.5 cm Donated by John Mather, 1895 (probably) State Library of Victoria (H29640) This work and Barak Untitled [Aboriginal ceremony, with wallaby and emu] {1895} SLV [PA] are presumably the two paintings recorded as donated to the collection by local painter John
Baisch, Hermann (1846-94; German) Dutch Pastures, Morning 1885 Oil on canvas, 81.4 x 141.2 cm Purchased, 1888 National Gallery of Victoria (p.313.5-1) This canvas, illustrated in the 1894 and 1905 NGV catalogues, was purchased from the German gallery at the 1888 Centennial International Exhibition in Melbourne. NGV 1894 indicates that the artist was born in
Arnz, Albert (1832-1914; German) Still Life Oil on panel, c.52 x 43 cm Purchased, 1889; de-accessioned and sold at auction, Oct.1941 Unidentified; present location unknown This panel, bought after being shown at the 1888 Centennial International Exhibition in Melbourne, is described in the NGV’s 1889 annual report as “study of partridge.” The artist apparently worked
Works included in this catalogue Altson (M.) Monochrome Head of Horse {1899} Loc? [PA] Altson (M.) Study from the nude {1904} Loc? [PA] Daniel Meyer Altson, the younger brother of Aby Altson, studied at the Melbourne gallery’s art school from 1894-1902. His oil sketch of a horse’s head, presumably after the pre-Felton collection’s plaster cast from
Altson, Meyer (1881-1965; English) Study from the nude Medium and size unknown Acquired, 1904 Unidentified; present location unknown Further information on this work has yet to be traced; it may or not have been a painting. Refs. Included in the NGV’s unpublished list of pre-1905 acquisitions under 1904 (no.3416)
Altson, Meyer (1881-1965; English/Australian) Monochrome Head of Horse (antique) Oil painting, size unknown Presented by the artist, 1899 Unidentified; present location unknown This work was produced while the artist was studying at the Melbourne gallery’s art school (1894-1902). It is recorded in the NGV’s annual report for 1899, noting that it earnt Altson first prize
Works by or after van Dyck included in this catalogue Altson (A.) after van Dyck Portrait of a Lady of Rank 1891 {1892} NGV [PA] Coates after van Dyck Portrait of a Father with his Son {1900} NGV [PA] Dyck [van] 3 etchings from the Iconography {1891} NGV [ET] Dyck [van] (after) Cornelis can der
Altson, Aby (1866-1948; English/Australian), after van Dyck, Anthony (1599-1641; Flemish) Portrait of a Lady of rank with her daughter 1891 Oil on canvas, 200.8 x 134.0 cm Presented by the artist under the terms of the National Gallery of Victoria Travelling Scholarship, 1892 National Gallery of Victoria (p.398.1-1) Van Dyck’s original painting (c.1632) is in
Works by or after Rembrandt included in this catalogue * Altson (A.) after Rembrandt An Old Man {1894} Loc? [PA] Rembrandt 11 etchings {1891} NGV [ET] For further details on the Rembrandt etchings purchased for Melbourne on Herkomer’s advice in 1891, see separate entry. Major NGV acquisitions were to follow in the Felton era, including
Altson, Aby (1866-1948; English/Australian), after Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-69; Dutch) An Old Man Oil on canvas, c.96.5 x 81.3 cm Presented by the artist under the terms of the National Gallery of Victoria Travelling Scholarship, 1894 Unidentified, location unknown The 1895 annual report and NGV 1905 both describe this work as copied from a painting
Altson, Aby (1866-1948; English/Australian) The Golden Age 1893 Oil on canvas, 141.5 x 250.5 cm Acquired under the terms of the National Gallery Travelling Scholarship, 1895 National Gallery of Victoria (no.6-2) This “vivacious slice of camp paganism” (McDonald 2008) was painted in France, where Altson worked after receiving the Travelling Scholarship for 1890. See also separate