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Details
- Other Title
- The Market Gardener
- Date
- circa 1901
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- oil on wood panel, carved frame
- Dimensions
- 35.9 x 24.0 cm board; 53.9 x 37.8 cm frame
- Signature & date
Signed l.r. corner, red/brown oil "J.S. Watkins [underlined]". Not dated.
- Credit
- Gift of Barry Leithhead 2013
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 267.2013
- Copyright
- Artist information
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J.S. Watkins
Works in the collection
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About
In the early twentieth century, John Samuel Watkins established a considerable presence in Sydney's art world as an exhibiting artist, influential teacher and Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation council member and later Trustee (between1932-42).
Mainly renowned as an academic portrait and figure painter, 'The market gardener' suggests a greater versatility to his work. The small panel format of the painting and the considerable enhancement of the work by its ornately crafted frame may suggest Watkins' attention to the work of the '9x5' Australian impressionist painters. It is perhaps through such influences that Watkins extended his tonal palette to evoke the brightened ambience of the landscape.
With its lavishly hand-crafted frame of Chinese-inspired motifs, the work is testament to the enduring impact of the Aesthetic movement, and the associated appreciation of 'exotic' ornament and design in Sydney at the turn of the century.
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Exhibition history
Shown in 1 exhibition
Twenty-second Annual Exhibition of the Royal Art Society of New South Wales (1901), Vickery's Galleries, Sydney, Sep 1901–Unknown
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Bibliography
Referenced in 1 publication
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Royal Art Society of New South Wales, Royal Art Society twenty-second annual exhibition (1901), 'Catalogue', pg. 3-27, Sydney, 1901, 9. cat.no. 69; priced £3.3.0
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