John Brahms Trinick and World War I Cathy Mulcahy As a student on a placement with drawings, some made on paper Documentary and photographic the Ian Potter Museum of Art in provided by Australian Red Cross, materials were given to the University 2014, I was asked to explore the reflect his courage, endurance of Melbourne Archives. In her effects of World War I on the life and and determination to continue comprehensive examination of the career of artist John Brahms Trinick to develop as an artist, despite life and art of John Trinick, Fiona (1890–1974), who served in the being transported to a challenging Moore observes the depth and scope Australian Imperial Force (AIF) from environment and having limited art of these resources: the John Trinick 1916 to 1919. The starting point materials available. They also reveal Study Collection at the University of for this research was an examination an Australian artist who became Melbourne is ‘a visual art collection of two sketchbooks dating to those more familiar with, and involved in, and the archive of a craftsman’, as well war years and recently presented to European artistic traditions through as providing an ‘invaluable insight the University of Melbourne Art war service. into Trinick’s creative process and the Collection in memory of Ms Ruth history of stained glass design’.2 The Trinick, a niece of the artist. The John Trinick Collection 2013 gift also contains many items The centenary of the Gallipoli at the University of conveying Trinick’s thoughts, feelings campaign has brought to light the Melbourne and artistic process while an enlisted personal stories of many of those We can research Trinick’s creative soldier in World War I. Australians who served in World life’s work thanks to the generosity Early influences on Trinick’s War I. Diaries and letters have and loving care of the Trinick family, development as an artist established been investigated and found to who have made two major donations enduring themes and preoccupations communicate the thoughts and to the cultural collections of the in his creative practice. He was born dreams of soldiers, while sketchbooks University of Melbourne. The first in the inner-Melbourne suburb of have given us a visual record of artists was in 1997, when ‘Mr Harold Richmond in 1890 and commenced under wartime conditions. In this Trinick donated a study collection of study at the National Gallery School context is timely to consider the effect the work of his uncle, stained glass in the city in 1910. While studying, he of World War I on John Trinick, who artist and ecclesiastical craftsman won five prizes for his art, including revisited Australia only briefly after John Trinick (1890–1974)’.1 This first prize for drawing in 1911.3 the war, soon returning to England to was followed by another substantial He also met artists Napier Waller complete his training in the arts and gift by the family in 2013 made in and Christian Yandell, who were to pursue a career as a stained glass artist memory of Ruth Trinick, which become his lifelong friends.4 Waller and ecclesiastical craftsman. comprises artworks, preparatory and Trinick shared many influences, Although John Trinick did not material, sketchbooks, working including an interest in the Arts and write or draw details of a soldier’s drawings and designs, all donated Crafts movement, which emphasised daily experience (unlike many to the University of Melbourne craftsmanship in art and was other artists, including his friend Art Collection, managed by influential for both of them in their Napier Waller), his sketchbooks and the Ian Potter Museum of Art. development as stained glass artists. Cathy Mulcahy, ‘John Brahms Trinick and World War I’ 3 John B. Trinick as a soldier, c. 1916–19, photograph, 13.0 × 8.5 cm. Unit 5, reference no. 2013.0049, donated in memory of Ruth Trinick, John B. Trinick Archive Collection, University of Melbourne Archives. Leckie window’, which survived the develop his practice, going beyond fire that partly destroyed Wilson Hall realism and using legends and at the University of Melbourne in spiritual symbols to express his 1952.5 This stained glass window is interpretation of the ineffable. Trinick now permanently installed in the Ian was also interested in Rosicrucianism, Potter Museum of Art, where many Freemasonry, alchemy and other of Trinick’s stained glass designs are aspects of ancient spirituality.9 housed, maintaining a link between the two artists that began early in the A career interrupted 20th century. As for many young Australians, Melbourne was a stimulating Trinick’s career was interrupted as environment for Trinick and Waller it began to unfold in Melbourne. to study art, surrounded as they Both John Trinick and Napier Waller were by a lively culture informed by enlisted for active service in the an awareness of major English art AIF, with Trinick embarking from movements, in particular the Pre- Melbourne with the 8th Infantry Raphaelites, who would influence Battalion on the troop ship HMAT Trinick’s later drawings and stained Nestor on 2 October 1916.10 glass designs.6 In 1906 William Trinick experienced many Holman Hunt’s enormously popular tribulations during has active service allegorical painting of Christ, as a signaller and observer, including The light of the world (1853), was hospitalisation on 15 December exhibited in Melbourne as part of an 1917 for pyrexia (fever); he was sent international tour, giving Trinick an back to duty on 26 February 1918.11 opportunity to see a Pre-Raphaelite He was severely wounded in France painter’s work, in addition to works on 23 April 1918 and admitted to By 1915, Trinick, Waller and by this artist held by the National Reading War Hospital in England Yandell were listed as members of Gallery of Victoria.7 on 29 April, returning to active duty the Victorian Artists’ Society. After Trinick was interested in on 1 July.12 On 1 August 1919 he left the war, Waller and Yandell married mysticism, particularly the doctrine England to return to Melbourne and and decided to live in Australia, while of Theosophy, which was explored was discharged from the AIF on Trinick emigrated to England, going by a number of artists in Melbourne, 6 November, after which he returned on to become an esteemed stained including one of Trinick’s teachers to his mother’s home in Liddiard glass artist. at the National Gallery School, Street, Glenferrie (now Hawthorn), Napier Waller also continued his Frederick McCubbin.8 This provided for a short time before leaving stained glass career and designed ‘The Trinick with an alternative way to Australia for England late in 1919.13 4 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 16, June 2015 John B. Trinick, Tilshead Church, 10 June 1917, pencil on paper, 12.5 × 17.7 cm. Accession no. 2013.0343, gift in memory of Ruth Trinick 2013, University of Melbourne Art Collection. Sketchbooks and drawings, Two of Trinick’s sketchbooks show while thinking about spending 1916 to 1919 that he was attracted to the beauty Christmas away from home and Enlisting in the AIF took many of the architecture he encountered family. Perhaps he also reflected Australian artists, including Trinick, in England. Seventeen loose pages, on the opportunities presented by to countries they probably would dated between 7 December 1916 being in England, where he was able not have visited at the time, if not and 10 June 1917, were found within to observe and draw architectural for the war. Camping in England the marbled covers of a sketchbook. and spiritual heritage beyond his and marching through villages in These pencil drawings depict church experience in Australia. France exposed John Trinick to exteriors and interiors, churchyards, One of the church drawings is new ideas, history, architecture and memorials and stone buildings, and Tilshead Church, dated 10 June 1917 natural landscape, which he recorded include a drawing of Stonehenge (below). Built in 1100, the Church of in correspondence to his family on made on Christmas Eve 1916. It is St Thomas à Becket is situated in the postcards14 and by drawing. possible to imagine the artist drawing village of Tilshead on the Salisbury Cathy Mulcahy, ‘John Brahms Trinick and World War I’ 5 John B. Trinick, … and when he awaked he looked afore him and saw the city of Sarras, c. 1916–19, pencil and ink on paper, 17.5 × 12.5 cm. Accession no. 2013.0324, gift in memory of Ruth Trinick 2013, University of Melbourne Art Collection. use shading and intricate lines to the University of Melbourne Art capture the essence of an enduring Collection as part of the gift of Harold and architecturally beautiful church Trinick in 1997 and, like the drawing in a field of long grass, creating a of Sarras, bears an inscription taken peaceful atmosphere, despite the from a poem, in this case from W.B. military activity nearby. Yeats’ The shadowy waters (1906):19 Another drawing found in the ‘O morning star / Trembling in the marbled-cover sketchbook shows a blue heavens like a white fawn’.20 city perched high on a mountain, The white fawn symbol is also found watched by a knight in armour in La morte d’Arthur, when knights (left). It is unique among these Galahad, Percivale and Bors, who loose drawings as it is undated and have seen a white hart, are told: ‘And obviously a work of the imagination. well Our Lord be signified to an hart, It reflects Trinick’s interest in the for the hart when he is old he waxeth legendary search for the Holy Grail. young again in his white skin’.21 In Arthurian legends, Sarras was a holy city in the spiritual realm.