Quick sketches and studies, late 1940s - 1980 / drawn by Tom Thompson

PXB 518

fonds

1940s-1980

Graphic Materials, Drawings

874629

57 drawings - mostly pencil, some pen and ink - 26.6 x 16.7 cm and 19.8 x 17.8 cm or smaller

Artist Tom Thompson (Thomas Alexander) is best known for his commissioned works including murals for the International Air Terminal at Mascot, Sydney and panels in tempera for Australia House, London.

Reference:
The New McCulloch's encyclopedia of Australian art / Susan McCulloch, Emily McCulloch and Alan McCulloch. 4th ed. Fitzroy, Vic. : Aus Art Editions & The Miegunyah Press, 2006

A series of 57 mostly pencil portrait sketches or impressions of people in the Sydney art world. The subjects were present at occasions such as exhibitions, art-school staff meetings and dinners.

Reference:
Compiled from the collection

1. Kevin Connor and Rubery Bennett
2. Fred Bates
3. Margaret Coen
4. Doug Dundas [i.e. Douglas Dundas]
5. Lyndon Dadswell
6. Jack Kilgour
7. Hector Gilliland
8. Dora Toovey and George Finey
9. Sali Herman and Marjory Rees [i.e. Marjorie Rees]
10. Lloyd Rees
11. Steve Wilson
12. Guy Warren and Desidirius Orban [i.e. Desiderius Orban]
13. Jean Campbell
14. Alfy Cook [i.e. Alfred Cook]
15. Earle Backen
16. John Brackenreg
17. Robert Brown
18. Les Burcher
19. Doug Dundas [i.e. Douglas Dundas]
20. Roy Davies
21. John Coburn
22. Lindsay Churchland
23. "Hermia" [?] Merilyn Fairsky [i.e. Merilyn Fairskye]
24. Roma de Wolff
25. Mitzi Finey
26. Anna Eglitis (Annabel Bramley)
27. Donald Friend
28. Roy Fluke, dated 1948
29. Erik Langker
30. Harold Greenhill
31. Strom Gould
32. Jocelyn Maughan
33. Frank Medworth, dated 1947
34. Peter Laverty
35. Paul McKenzie
36. Clem Millward, Les Burcher and Tiiu Reisser
37. Ross Morrow
38. Liz Pownall (Bell)
39. Harry Nicolson
40. Godfrey Miller
41. John Olsen [with illegible inscription]
42. Don Mitchell
43. Jack Passmore [i.e. John Passmore]
44. Peter Powditch
45. Peter Rushforth
46. Ken Reinhard
47. Ron Robertson Swan [i.e. Ron Robertson-Swann]
48. Eula Stagpoole
49. Eula Stagpoole
50. Cam Sparks [i.e. Cameron Sparks]
51. Leila Spencer
52. Wallace Thornton
53. Frances Smith
54. David Strachan
55. Laurie Thomas
56. Daniel Thomas
57. George Young and Danny Pata [i.e. Daniel Pata]

Copyright status:: In copyright - Life of artist plus 70 years
Copyright holder:: Tom Thompson
Approval for reproduction required:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

A typescript introductory note by the artist accompanies these portraits, as well as an index to the original arrangement of the portraits. The index includes a photocopy of an unsigned portrait of the artist in the 1970s. Some sketch fragments appear on the reverse of some of the portraits.

Items 1-12 "were made during a special dinner which honoured a number of our 80 year old companions (toward the end of the recent century), held at a hotel in lower George Street, Sydney".

The sketches were originally housed in a photographic album which has been discarded. The title of this collection has been taken from the cover of this album.

Reference:
Compiled from the collection

Most of the portraits have been signed and all are inscribed with the name of the sitter. Signed "Tom T", "T. Th", "T. T", "Tom Th." or "Tom Thompson"

Item 28. Roy Fluke dated 1948 and Item 33. Frank Medworth dated 1947