The Private Face of Patronage: the Howitts, Artistic and Intellectual Philanthropists in early Melbourne Society Caroline Clemente Caroline Anne Kempthorne Clemente, B.A. (University of Melbourne), B.A. (Hons) (London University) Thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Arts, University of Melbourne This thesis is submitted in total fulfilment of the requiren1ents of the degree of Master of Arts. Department of Art History, Cinema, Classics and Archaeology, Faculty of A11s, University of Melbourne October 2005 Abstract This thesis investigates a case of upper-middle class, private patronage in Melbourne, focusing on three decades between 1840 and 1870. Evidence points to the existence of a lively circle of intellectual and artistic activity around the Quaker family of Dr Godfrey Howitt and his wife, Phebe, from the Midlands who arrived at the Port Phillip District in 1840. The presentation of a group of fine, rare colonial water-colours and drawings to the National Gallery of Victoria by a direct Howitt descendant, Mrs James Evans in 1989, was the point of inspiration for this subject. Godfrey Howitt, one of the first experienced medical practitioners in the colony, had much in common with the Superintendent of Port Phillip. Their friendship gave the Howitts entn5c into the uppermost social circles of the colony. Financially, the family prospered due to Howitt's professional practice which insulated them against cconotnic downturns and provided a steady accumulation of wealth. While as a Quaker, Phebe Howitt had little background in the fine arts, she began to exercise patronage in support of her artist friends, most of who arrived with the gold rush in I X52. With it came Godfrey Howitt's elder brother, William, a famous English author. In London in I X50, Willian1 and Mary Howitt's daughter, the fen1inist painter and writer, Anna Mary, had become engaged to Edward LaTrobe Bateman. A brilliant designer and cousin of Superintendent La Trobe, BatCinan introduced the young, still struggling Pre­ Raphaclitc artists with whom he was closely associated, to the English Howitts. Arriving in Melbourne in l X52, William was followed shortly afterwards by Bateman and two artists, including the Pre-Raphaclite sculptor, Thon1as Woolner. The gold rush also attracted Eugene von Guerard, and Nicholas Chevalier in due course. In 1856, as a guest of the Howitts' on her first Victorian visit, Louisa Anne Meredith, writer, botanical artist and social commentator, was introduced to their artistic and literary circle. The 1-lowitts' friendship with these artists thus took on a very ditfcrent hue frmn the normal patterns of patronage. Beyond con1missioning works of art fi·om artists returning empty handed from the gold fields, Phebe Howitt supported thetn in other ways until a suffering a catastrophic stroke towards the end of 1856. 2 The Private Face ofPatronage Abstract During that period, the founding of the new Victorian colony's cultural institutions became a source of official artistic commissions for the first time. Through friends in influential positions like Justice Redmond Barry and Godfrey Howitt, Bateman was employed in various design projects for new public buildings and gardens. With the purchase of Barragunda at Cape Schanck in 1860, Godfrey Howitt assumed a central role as patron. In making the house available to Bateman and his artist friends, he and his daughter, Edith Mary, repeated the unusual degree of patronage formerly exercised by Phebe Howitt before her illness. By 1869, Woolner, Bateman and Chevalier had departed the colony and from 1870, von Guerard was taken up with the National Gallery of Victoria. Although succeeding generations of the family tnaintained contact with all the artists in their circle, by Godfrey Howitt's death in 1873, the prime years of Howitt patronage had passed. 3 Certification This is to certify that- l. the thesis comprises only my original work except where indicated in the preface, 2. due acknowledgement has been tnadc in the text to all other material used, 3. the thesis is 30,000 words in length, inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of tables, maps, appendices and bibliography. Caroline Clemente 4 Acknowledgements I would like to record my appreciation to the staff of the following institutions who have assisted me with my research: the State Library of New South Wales including the Dixson Galleries, the Dixson Library and the Mitchell Library; the State Library of Victoria, including the La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, the La Trobe Pictures Collection and the La Trobe Rare Books Collection; the National Gallery of Victoria, including the Department of Australian Art, the Department of Prints and Drawings, the Library and the Photography Department; the Art Gallery of South Australia; the Art Gallery of New South Wales; and the National Gallery of Australia. A number of individuals have kindly assisted with various aspects of research for this thesis and I wish to express my gratitude to the following: at the National Gallery of Victoria, Terence Lane, Senior Curator of Australian Art to 1900, whose knowledge of nineteenth century Australian Art is encyclopaedic; Cathy Leahy, Senior Curator and Kirsty Grant, Curator, and staff of the Department of Prints and Drawings; Jennie Moloney, Permissions and Copyright Co-ordinator and the staff of the Photography Departn1ent; Eleanor Taylor, Curator, and Deborah Clark, Assistant Curator, Australian Paintings and Sculpture, National Gallery of Australia; Cherie Prosser, Assistant Curator of Australian Ati, Art Gallery of South Australia; at the State Library of New South Wales, Elizabeth Ellis, Mitchell Librarian and Assistant State Librarian, for invaluable assistance with Eugene von Guerard and other material in the collections under her charge and at the Dixson Galleries, Helen Harrison, for information on von Guerard works; at the State Library of Victoria, Jock Murphy and Gerard Hayes and statf of the La Trobc Australian Manuscripts Collection; Christine Downer, Mary Lewis, Madeleine Say and Michael Galimeny and staff of the La Trobc Library Pictures Collection; at the University of Melbourne, Sabina Robertson, Research Consultant, School of Graduate Studies and at the Baillieu Library, Monica Raszewski, Information Services, and Debbie Emerson, Customer Support Officer, Flexible Learning Delivery Services; Angus Trumble, Curator of Paintings and Sculpture, the Yale Center for British Art; John Blanch for his expertise in land title searches; Anna Denton for kind assistance with botanical identification; Paul de Serville whose knowledge of the complexities of 5 The Private Face o.fPatronage Acknowledgements nineteenth century Melbourne and Victorian society is nonpareil; Paul Fox, specialist Melbourne historian; Professor Harriet Edquist, School of Architecture and Design, RMIT University; Pamela Gerrish Nunn; Rodney James, Curator, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery; Pamela Luhrs, Corporate Projects Consultant, Fosters Group Corporate Affairs; Mary Morris, Collections Manager, Indigenous Cultures, Museum of Victoria, for assistance with Dr Godfrey Howitt's entomological correspondence; Dr Brenda Niall with whom I have enjoyed tnany fn1itful discussions on the Howitts and the McCraes and who generously passed on relevant research material from her Georgiana McCrae biography; Professor John Poynter and Paul Nicholls, historians, for advice on nineteenth century British nonconformism; Ruth Pullin for kindly sharing her expertise and material connected with Eugene von Guerard; and Benedict Read, Senior Lecturer in Art History, University of Leeds, for invaluable insights on the subject of nineteenth century sculpture and Thomas Woolner. Descendants of the Howitt family have been most generous in allowing me access to private family archives and collections and [ thank them sincerely: first and foremost the late Phoebe Ann, Mrs James Evans, and her husband, Dr James Evans; Mrs Pritnrose Calvert, Mrs Angela Campbell, Mrs Godfrey Howitt and Mrs Margaret Thompson. Descendants of Georgiana McCrae, the Reverend Nigel Wright, his mother, Mrs A. Mciver Wright and his brother and sister-in-law, Mr and Mrs Andrew Wright, have very kindly allowed tne to study works in their possession for which I am most grateful. Finally, I wish to express my appreciation to my supervisors, to Dr Alison Inglis who saw me over the long haul and to Associate Professor Ann Galbally who inherited me at a later stage and oversaw the final shaping of this endeavour. Their encouragement and wise counsel have contributed much to this thesis, not least to my enjoyment of it, and I thank them both warn1ly. The very last word of acknowledgement must go to n1y family who have had to live with this project. I thank our daughters for their tolerance and my husband, Robert, for his unfailingly generous spirited and practical support. Caroline Clemente October, 2005 6 Table of Contents Abstract.....................•................................................................................................•.....•.. 2 Certification .....•..............................•...........•..•.............•.....................•.....••....•.•.....•.........•.. 4 Acknowledgements............................................................................................................. 5 Table of' Contents ................................•.•...........................••............•.................................. 7 List oj' Plates ......................................................................................................................