Roen re-visited, 1919 by J.C.A. Traill

MLMSS 9780

fonds

1919-ca 1920

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs

1000546

0.16 metres of textual material (some pages includes photographs and drawings) - manuscript - 23 x 27 cm.

Jessie Traill (1881-1967) was a Melbourne born artist who studied at the National Gallery School (1902-1906) under John Mather, Frederick McCubbin and in London with Frank Brangwyn. She was one of the first women to practice etching in Australia and by 1905 her work was exhibited alongside Mather and John Shirlow. She was an accomplished etcher, yet also worked in oils and watercolour.

At the outbreak of World War I she joined the British Voluntary Aid Detachment and worked as a nurse in military hospitals near Rouen, France, 1915-1919. She spent her last years near Berwick, Victoria, on country properties in England and France. She died in May 1967.

Reference:
Australian Dictionary of Biography.

The diary has remained with the artist and has been passed down by descent to Charles Blackwood Raven in 1968. It has remained in private hands.

1 handmade artist’s diary with separate pagination (3 parts - 13 p., 8p. 11p.) includes 3 photographs, 4 etchings.

The large etching plate is titled `Old Rouen’, signed and dated lower right. Total 64 leaves. Verso blank.

1 loose page from unknown published paper: image of ‘The Gare du Nord, from painting by J.C. Traill’ accompanied with text by J.C.K. Traill. The same image appeared in The Argus, Wednesday 25 May, 1927, page 19.

The diary was created by Jessie Traill after her return from service in France in 1919 and reflects her thoughts on the events, people and places. There is a poignant description of the graveside for Louise Blanche Riggall who served with the Australian Voluntary Aid Detachment now buried in St Sever.

Cover title pasted on.
Part 1, Page 3 pasted in photograph inscribed below image: ‘Alexandre & Vadanedell’.
Part 1, Page 7 pasted in photograph inscribed below image: ‘A Normandy farm’.
Part 1, Page 13 pasted in photograph inscribed below image: ‘A Normandy church’.
Part 2, Page 8 pasted in photograph inscribed below image: ‘Strawberry fields, Bois guilliame’.
Part 3, page 3 has a small ink drawing of a pot plant with the inscription below reading ‘Alexis’.
part 3, page 7 appears to be a reference to L.B. Rigall believed died in Rouen in 1918.
Part 3, page 8, what appears to be a pasted, trimmed etching titled ‘Poor bent figure’, undated, unsigned
Part 3, page 11 is another pasted, trimmed etching titled ‘Her devastated nord’, undated, unsigned.

Copyright status:: In copyright
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Title page.