Norman Lindsay letters received from Leslie Rees and Jean Devanny, 1931-1933

MLMSS 6050

fonds

20 January [1931], 10 October 1933

104903

0.01 metres of textual material (1 folder)

Norman Lindsay (1879-1969) was born in Creswick, Victoria. Primarily noted as an artist (painter, etcher, cartoonist, sculptor, illustrator and model-maker), he also wrote novels, essays, literary criticism, art appreciations and reminiscences. His work frequently attracted controversy, and two of his novels (Redheap, and The Cautious Amorist) were banned for a period within Australia.
Leslie Rees (1905- ) was born in Perth and educated at the University of WA. In 1929 he won a scholarship to study in London, and worked as the senior drama critic on the London weekly Era from 1931-1935, before returning to Australia. Well known as a drama critic and children's author, his writing career has also included two histories of Australian drama, plays, editions of Australian plays, travel books, articles, memoirs and critical essays.
Jean Devanny (1894-1962) was born Jean Crook in Ferntown, New Zealand. She came to Australia in 1929, and became a prominent member of the Communist Party of Australia. Devanny wrote and published several novels as well as works of non-fiction.

20 January [1931]; Letter from Leslie Rees, written while he was drama critic for the London weekly, Era, in which he expresses his desire to meet Lindsay, who was in London at the time. Rees mentions the banning of Lindsay's novel, Redheap.

10 October 1933; Letter from Jean Devanny, Sydney, requesting Lindsay to "do a colour, or black & white, of Lenin", or a bust, to raffle on behalf of the Workers' Art Movement.

A copy of Norman Lindsay's reply (in the negative) to Jean Devanny's letter is in the Lindsay Family Papers, located at ML MSS 742/15, p.51.