Slide No. Notes 1 2 Few weeks ago, I went to a talk at the National Gallery given by Lucrezia Walker. What I prepared here is an abstract of her talk as far as I can put together. She started the talk by putting a question to the audience, why a person so known to past impressionists, who recognised his skills as good as theirs, one claimed to have learned some painting techniques from him, and yet he is not known widely as his fellow impressionists. Lucrezia Walker is an independent art historian, author of books on 19th and 20th Century art movements, and art reviewer for magazines and BBC radio. The talk was about the artist’s life history, his association with artists like van Gogh, Rodin, Monet, and Matisse and examination of some of his paintings. 3 John Peter Russell was the eldest of four children of John Russell and Charlotte Elizabeth http://goo.gl/QORFx0 (née Nichol). He was born on 16 June 1858 in the Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst in Australia. This photograph was taken around 1888, when he would be about 30 years old. 4 Darlinghurst area is about 1 km from the George Street. 2 views of this street are shown http://goo.gl/An54Od here to give an impression of the atmosphere in which Russell was born. 5 This is George Street in 1873, about 15 years after the birth of the artist. http://goo.gl/Stw1Cx 6 This is the second view taken in 1900. Since transport system has not much changed over http://goo.gl/0JSlTv 27 years spanning the 2 photographs, Russell’s birth place may not be very different in 1858. Grandfather: Robert Russell - foundry and engineering works in Kirkcaldy, Scotland at the start of the 19th century Our artist’s father, also named John moved to Hobart, Tasmania in 1832 - started up an engineering works - proved very successful - moved to Sydney 1838 – opened an engineering works and a foundry as “Russell Brothers”. 7 John Russell went to Goulburn School in Garrooriagang, a private boarding school for the http://goo.gl/Lzocsp “sons of gentlemen”. Here are the present day views of the school. It is a private home now. 8 Went to England to become an apprentice of “Robey & Co. of Lincoln” in 1876 – qualified as http://goo.gl/hgaTsw engineer. This is the type of traction engine he may have trained on to manufacture around 1879. Began to take an interest in sketching and painting - attracted to Japanese woodcuts and Chinese painting on his travels - returned with a large collection. In 1879 John Peter Russell’s father died and left his children a sizeable inheritance. 9 In 1881 – left engineering and decided to pursue his love of art and enrolled at the Slade http://goo.gl/Kxfg5Q School of Fine Arts at the University College, London. http://goo.gl/T9YIj8 Whilst at the Slade - studied under the Dijon-born French painter and sculptor, Alphonse Legros. Portrait of John Gray is one of the examples of Legros’s paintings. Legros used to show how to make quick preliminary oil sketches (known as ébauches) – Russell took deep interest in this. In August 1883, he set off on travels with his brother, Percy, the architect, Tom Roberts, an impressionist artist, and physician friend William Maloney. They first visited Spain. 10 Monument à la Pérouse Sydney, l'orage arrive (Monument to the Perugia Sydney as the http://goo.gl/ndvY2U storm arrives), 1882, Morlaix, musée des Jacobins. This may be one of his earliest attempts at painting landscapes. 11 In 1885 Russell went to live in Paris - next eighteen months studied at the Atelier (Studio) http://goo.gl/pk6YZ4 Cormon, which was run by the French painter, Fernand Cormon. Among his students were Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Louis Anquetin, Eugène Boch, Paul Tampier, Émile Bernard and Vincent van Gogh. We reviewed works by some of these artists. Russell would often paint his friends and fellow students. A great and long-lasting friendship developed between van Gogh and Russell. In October 1886, Russell painted a beautiful portrait of van Gogh. Here are some of the preliminary studies of the van Gogh portrait. 12 Russell had seen some of van Gogh’s own head and shoulder portraits and self-portraits - an http://goo.gl/PlLjY8 academic style in his portraiture – involving darkened background as a contrast to the lighter skin tones and so decided to use the same technique. It is currently housed in van Gogh museum, Amsterdam. The portrait has darkened over the ages. It has been claimed that sitter was wearing a blue-striped suit; small traces of it are visible in some areas. There is a YouTube video of discussion on this painting by conservator Devi Ormond and a Dutch researcher Teio Meedendorp at the van Gogh museum, Amsterdam. https://youtu.be/R6z46c93SXQ 13 On September 6th 1889, ten months before his death, Vincent wrote to Theo, his brother: “……….Afterwards, what are we beginning to glimpse timidly at the moment that is original and lasting – the portrait. That’s something old, one might say – but it’s also brand new. We’ll talk more about this – but let’s still continue to seek out portraits, above all of artists, like the Guillaumin and Guillaumin’s portrait of a young girl, and take good care of my portrait by Russell, which means a lot to me.….” 14 Whilst living in Paris, Russell met two sculptors, Auguste Rodin and Emmanuel Frémiet and http://goo.gl/JgnTYn it was whilst visiting their studios that he encountered and fell in love with one of their favourite models, Marianna Mattiocco. Their first son was born in November 1885. This is the head study of back of Marrianna, 1883, Morlaix, musée des Jacobins. Marianna was born in Cassino, Italy. She was in her early twenties when she met Russell and three years later, they got married, 1888. 15 Study for 'Lot's wife’, 1886, NSW art gallery. This is in fact a portrait of Marianna. http://goo.gl/kQ2ZIy 16 This is the portrait of Marianna’s father painted by Russell in 1900. It is entitled Dadone http://goo.gl/7ZQJXs meaning “ancestor” or literally “old one”. 17 This painting of an elderly couple shows Russell’s father and mother-in-law, Pasquale and http://goo.gl/yQ1JNB Maria Mattiocco. 18 In 1888, Rodin captured Mrs Russell’s beauty in a bronze bust entitled “Head of Mrs. John http://goo.gl/cNFKuR Peter Russell (Marianna Mattiocco della Torre)”. He was quoted to say “Mrs Russell was the most beautiful woman in France”. 19 This is a part of the letter written by Van Gogh to Russell on 17 June 1888. In which van http://goo.gl/vvlEMm Gogh refers to “I heard Rodin had a beautiful head at the Salon.” 20 Frémiet had used Marianna as the model for his bronze life-sized (Joan of arc) Jeanne d’Arc http://goo.gl/Q3ibj2 statue which is at the Place des Pyramides in Paris. 21 Rodin admired Marianna’s regular features – akin to antique masterpieces – turned Mrs http://goo.gl/vgTfuI Russell into Pallas with a Helmet, an evocation of Athena, the Greek goddess of reason, knowledge and the art of war. 22 Self-portrait, 1886-87, Morlaix, musée des Jacobins http://goo.gl/Z0DXFc 23 In 1887 he spent some time at Moret, a small village south of Paris by the Loing River - http://goo.gl/X7Fcuk stayed in a villa next door to the Impressionist painter Alfred Sisley. There he made a number of paintings, including this which shows Sisley's wife Marie. This painting is in the art Gallery of New South Wales. 24 Peonies and head of a woman, (c. 1887) National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. http://goo.gl/N0gkt1 This relatively small, freely painted work reflects Russell’s early interest of Japanese art. The subject appears to be the flowers and the woman, most probably Mrs Russell, is just incidental. 25 Almond tree in blossom, c 1887, NGV, Melbourne http://goo.gl/ntp4ao 26 Bouquet of white peonies, c 1887, Morlaix, musée des Jacobins http://goo.gl/CR9Dvi 27 Russell spent the summer of 1886 sailing and sketching on Belle-Île, which is situated off the http://goo.gl/rXqLqX coast of South Brittany. Russell accidently met a new arrival who was painting at this coast. He enquired: ‘Ne seriez-vous Claude Monet, le prince des impressionists?’ ('Aren’t you Claude Monet, prince of the impressionists?’). Monet was amused and allowed Russell to paint with him which certainly affected Russell’s work from then on. Monet often used to refer Russell as an American. Russell left Paris in 1888. He settled on the Belle-Ile island. He built a large manor house the locals called “Le Chateau de l’Anglais” near Goulphar port. Among a stream of visitors to his home included Auguste Rodin, the Australian painter John Longstaff, and the young Henri Matisse. That house does not exist anymore and a hotel occupies that site. The east and south coastline is featured by rough rocky crags where the full force of Atlantic and bay of Biscay is continuously felt. On the northern side there are several beautiful beaches. 28 Laveuses au Doué à Belle-Ile, (Washer women at Belle Ile) c 1887, Morlaix, musée des http://goo.gl/V9YJRG Jacobins 29 Nu de Mrs Russell au bord de la mer (Mrs Russell by the sea), 1887, Morlaix, musée des http://goo.gl/agrgAX Jacobins 30 Farmyard at Elçhe, 1889 , National Gallery of Victoria http://goo.gl/aSXRmC 31 The east and south coast of Belle-Île-en-Mer, attracted Russell, Matisse and Monet, by the http://goo.gl/VJmiVv wild, rocky landscape and the unpredictable waters of the Atlantic Ocean.