Swan, John Macallan (1847-1910) African panthers (1891) Oil on canvas, 35.6 x 61.4 cm Purchased, 1892 (advice of Hubert von Herkomer) National Gallery of Victoria (acc.no.p.397.4-1) While this work correlates with the taste for animal subjects typical of the NGV’s early history, these creatures are unusually wild, by comparison with other domestic or barnyard works (see
Streeton, Arthur (1867-1943; Australian) ‘The Purple Noon’s Transparent Might’ 1896 Oil on canvas, 123.0 x 123.0 cm Purchased, 1896 (advice of Bernard Hall) National Gallery of Victoria (33-2) In December 1896, Bernard Hall wrote to the chairman of the National Gallery committee: “With regard to the exhibition being held in town by Mr Arthur Streeton, I
Stanfield, Clarkson (1793-1867; English) The Morning After Trafalgar 1863 Oil on canvas, 64.6 x 106.4 cm Purchased, 1888 National Gallery of Victoria (p.312.11-1) Christopher Wood (1995) observes that the Victorians had a seemingly insatiable taste for images of episodes from the Napoleonic wars. This is one of several pre-Felton paintings that support this claim. One
Souza Pinto, José Júlio de (1856-1939; Portuguese) In the Fields 1892 Oil on canvas, 93.0 x 73.9 cm Purchased, 1893 (advice of John Longstaff) National Gallery of Victoria (p.399.6-1) This image of childhood was one of several selected from the Paris Salon of 1893 by Longstaff. Souza Pinto lived and worked for most of his
Sonntag, William (1822-1900; American) Scene on the Hudson (c.1864) Oil on canvas, 91.7 x 142.9 cm Gift of John R.Ricards, 1867 National Gallery of Victoria (p.301.5-1) Cox quotes from a letter by Redmond Barry, describing this as “a very handsome picture,” and the donor as “an American gentleman Mr Ricardo” {sic}. Sonntag, a lesser-known member
Singleton, Henry (1766-1839; English) Edmund Kean Oil on panel, c.22.86 x 12.7 cm Presented by Henry Tolman Dwight, 1869 Unidentified, present location unknown The apparent loss or deaccession of this small portrait, listed in the Melbourne gallery’s 1894 catalogue (but not in 1905), seems particularly unfortunate, on several counts. While various portraits of the famous
Short, Henry (1807-65; English) Fish, fruit and flowers 1860 Oil on canvas, 78.0 x 98.5 cm Gift of the artist, 1861 National Gallery of Victoria (p.301.4-1) This was the first painting produced in Australia to enter the Melbourne collection.In the 1861 MPL catalogue, it is recorded as “Productions of Sea and Land, a painting of.” The artist
Seiler, Carl (1846-1921; German) The Standard Bearer Oil on wood panel, 38.4 x 25.9 cm Purchased, 1884 National Gallery of Victoria (p.310.5-1) The artist, active mainly in Munich, was known for both genre and military subjects – the latter theme apparently stimulated by his involvement as a reserve officer in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. This
Schmidt, A.van (1827-80; German) In the Studio Panel, c.28 x 25 cm Purchased 1884 Unidentified; present location unknown In the 1943 NGV catalogue, this picture is listed as by the artist noted above, a genre painter who worked in Dresden, Berlin and Munich. However, in the absence of a photograph and/or further information, the work cannot
Schendel, Petrus van (1806-70; Dutch) The Poultry Vendor 1863 Oil on wood panel, 36.3 x 45.3 cm Purchased by the Commissioners for Fine Arts for Victoria, 1864 (advice of Sir Charles Eastlake) National Gallery of Victoria (p.301.3-1) Although this work was painted the year before it was purchased for Melbourne, its quasi-religious treatment of the
Schenck, August Friedrich Albrecht (1828-1901; Danish) Anguish (c.1878) Oil on canvas, 151.0 x 251.2 cm Purchased, 1879 National Gallery of Victoria (p.307.6-1) This large painting was first shown in the 1878 Salon in Paris, where the artist spent most of his career. Derided by many 20th-century commentators as irredeemably sentimental – Murray (2011) quotes Robert
Scheltema, Jan Hendrik (1861-1941; Dutch/Australian) Driving in the cows, sunrise Oil on canvas, 45.7 x 76.4 cm Purchased, 1895 National Gallery of Victoria (18-2) This work was one of several contemporary Australian landscapes bought from the Victorian Artists’ Society in 1895-96: see e.g. Mather Autumn in the Fitzroy Gardens 1894 {1895} NGV [PA]. Scheltema arrived in
Scheffer, Ary (1795-1858; Dutch) The Temptation of Christ 1854 Oil on canvas, 75.5 x 55.0 cm Purchased, 1886 (advice of Alfred Thomson) National Gallery of Victoria (311.9/1) Described in both NGV 1894 and 1905 as a small replica of the original in the Louvre (c.1849-56), this work was bought in London. Scheffer, who worked in Paris,
Sabbione, Giuseppe (active 1869-99; Italian) Victor Emmanuel II (c.1875) Oil on canvas, 135.5 x 98.5 cm Presented by the king, 1877 State Library of Victoria (H2012.107) Victor Emmanuel II (1820-78), King of Sardinia from 1849, fought for the risorgimento during the 1850s, and was crowned king of the new unified Italy in 1861. He is buried in
Rubens, Peter Paul (1577-1640: Flemish), after The Garden of Love Oil on canvas, 181.5 x 164.5 cm Bequeathed by Alfred Felton, 1904 National Gallery of Victoria (138/2) This large canvas, prominent in photographs of Felton’s own collection prior to 1904, was designated “attributed to Rubens” in 1905, and later “School of Rubens” (NGV 1948). Hoff
Roberts, David (1796-1864; Scottish) Interior of the Church of St Anne, Bruges 1851 Oil on canvas, 122.3 x 183.5 cm Purchased, 1894 (advice of Sir George Verdon) National Gallery of Victoria (p.402.2-1) Ursula Hoff notes that this canvas, shown at the Royal Academy in 1851, was bought on the advice of Verdon, during his term
Rivière, Briton (1840-1920; English) A Roman Holiday 1881 Oil on canvas, 99.5 x 178.2 cm Purchased, 1888 National Gallery of Victoria (p.313.2-1) The subject, loosely based on Byron’s Childe Harolde (as noted in NGV 1894), has been given Christian overtones, the martyr/gladiator drawing the sign of the cross in the sand with his sword. A Roman Holiday
Rivière, Briton (1840-1920; English) Deer Stealers pursued by sleuth hounds 1875 Oil on canvas, 99.0 x 135.5 cm Purchased, 1876 (advice of Alfred Thomson) National Gallery of Victoria (p.305.7-1) The artist specialized in paintings of animals. Here, as with Schenck Anguish {1879} NGV [PA], emotion and empathy are focussed in the animals, especially the wounded dog
Works included in this catalogue Lewis (C.G.) after Rivière Daniel in the Lions’ Den {1876} NGV [PR] Rivière Deer Stealers 1875 {1876} NGV [PA] Rivière A Roman Holiday 1881 {1888} NGV [PA] Stacpoole after Rivière All that was left of the ‘Homeward Bound’ {1876} NGV [PR] Stacpoole after Rivière Charity {1876} NGV [PR] Stacpoole after Rivière Circe and the Friends of Ulysses {1876} NGV [PR]
Richardson, Jonathan (1667-1745; English), after Sir Richard Steele Oil on canvas, mounted on plywood, 75.3 x 64.3 cm Presented by W.A.C. A’Beckett, 1889 National Gallery of Victoria (p.314.7-1) This portrait of Steele, a noted Irish dramatist and essayist (1672-1729), was initially attributed to Godfrey Kneller (thus in NGV 1894), but subsequently identified in NGV 1905
Richardson, Charles Douglas (1853-1932; English/Australian) “O Grave, Where is thy Victory? O Death, Where is thy Sting?” 1898 Oil on canvas, c. 213.4 x 152.4 cm Presented by the artist, 1899; de-accessioned and sold at auction, 1941 Unidentified; present location unknown Richardson, who arrived in Australia with his family at the age of 5, grew up
Raphael (1483-1520; Italian), attributed to Head of St John Oil on panel, c.61 x 61 cm Bequeathed by Canon Bromby, 1889; de-accessioned and sold at auction, 1941 Unidentified, present location unknown This work is listed in the NGV’s 1889 annual report and the 1894 catalogue as a “Cartoon Head of St John” attributed to Raphael,
Ramsay, Hugh (1877-1906; Scottish/Australian) Life study, full figure Oil painting, size unknown Presented by the artist, 1899 Unidentified; present location unknown A precocious talent, Ramsay won several prizes at the NGV art school (where he studied from 1894-99), including first prize for painting from the nude in 1899, presumably for the present work. He applied unsuccessfully
Quinn, James (1869-1951; Australian) The Nativity Oil on canvas, 149.8 x 126.6 cm Presented by the artist under the terms of the NGV Travelling Scholarship, 1901 National Gallery of Victoria (98-2) Although Quinn made several copies while he was in France in 1895-96, this is the original work he produced under the terms of the scholarship
Quinn, James (1870-1951; Australian), after Botticelli, Sandro (1445-1510; Italian) Virgin and Child with the young St John the Baptist, c.1896 Oil on canvas, 91.1 x 68.2 cm Presented by the artist under the terms of the NGV Travelling Scholarship, 1897 National Gallery of Victoria (31-2) This meticulous copy of Botticelli’s Louvre panel of c.1470 was