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An image of Mt Erebus by Sidney Nolan

Sidney Nolan

(Australia, England 22 Apr 1917–28 Nov 1992)

Title
Mt Erebus
Other titles:
Mount Erebus
Mount Erebus, Antarctica
Mt. Erebus, Antarctica
Year
1964
Media category
Painting
Materials used
oil on hardboard
Dimensions

122.0 x 123.0cm board; 131.8 x 131.8 x 3.9cm frame

Signature & date
Signed and dated l.r.corner, pencil "28 Aug 1964 Nolan -".
Credit
Sidney Nolan Deaccession Fund 2011
Accession number
1.2011
Copyright
© The Trustees of the Sidney Nolan Trust
Location
Not on display
Further information

'It is black, ochre, dark green and blue, with an oyster coloured sky and an indigo sea. The colours appear as if under intense moonlight'.
Sidney Nolan 1965

Nolan's trip to Antarctica with his friend Alan Moorehead lasted only eight days in January 1964 but was enough for Nolan to later produce a large number of paintings on the theme. He worked incredibly fast, producing no less than 18 works between August 28 and 30 alone, helped by a quick-drying alkyd gel used as a substitute for linseed oil and turpentine; and sometimes using the scraping back technique of his Leda pictures. His adoption of oil paint (as opposed to the enamels and polyvinyl acetate of previous years) lends great translucence and fluidity to these romantically charged works.

Bibliography (11)

'Curators & Coordinators' reports' by Natalie Wilson., Foundation Newsletter #18 Jun 2011, Jun 2011, (colour illus.).

Anthony Plant (United Kingdom, active 2010) (Author), Heather Lane (United Kingdom) (Author), Sidney Nolan: Antarctica, Cambridge, 2010, 18 (colour illus.). titled 'Mount Erebus'

Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), Frances Lindsay (Australia, b.1946) (Author), Lou Klepac (Australia; Croatia, b.1936) (Author), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Author), Sidney Nolan, Sydney, 2007, 54, 55, 193 (colour illus.), 238. cat.no. 95; titled 'Mt Erebus'

Rodney James (Author), Sidney Nolan: Antarctic journey, Mornington, 2006, 18, 20, 22, 24 (colour illus.), 72 (colour illus.). cat.no. 12

Nicholas Isherwood (United Kingdom) (Author), Sir Sidney Nolan: a retrospective celebrating his 75th birthday, Harewood, 1992, 5 (colour illus.), 8, 10. titled 'Mt. Erebus, Antarctica'

Fermoy Art Gallery, King's Lynn (England) (Author), Sidney Nolan: Antarctica, England, 1984, (illus.). cat.no. 17; titled 'Mt. Erebus'

'Evolution of an artist' by John Henshaw., The Australian 16 Sep 1967, 16 Sep 1967.

'The poetic themes of Sidney Nolan' by Daniel Thomas, pg. 15., The Sydney Morning Herald 09 Sep 1967, 09 Sep 1967, 15 (illus.). titled 'Mount Erebus, Antarctica'

Hal Missingham (Australia, b.1906, d.1994) (Author), Sidney Nolan. Retrospective exhibition. Paintings from 1937 to 1967, Domain, 1967. cat.no. 129; titled 'Mount Erebus, Antarctica'

Marlborough-Gerson Gallery Inc (United States of America) (Author), Sidney Nolan, New York, Jan 1965, (illus.). cat.no. 8; titled 'Mount Erebus'

'Art on ice' by James Gleeson., Sun-Herald circa Feb 1965, circa Feb 1965.

Exhibition history (12)

Sidney Nolan (January 1965), Marlborough-Gerson Gallery Inc, Jan 1965 -.

Sidney Nolan retrospective exhibition. Paintings from 1937 to 1967, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 13 Sep 1967–29 Oct 1967.

Sidney Nolan retrospective exhibition. Paintings from 1937 to 1967, National Gallery of Victoria [Swanston Street], 22 Nov 1967–17 Dec 1967.

Sidney Nolan retrospective exhibition. Paintings from 1937 to 1967, Western Australian Art Gallery, 09 Jan 1968–04 Feb 1968.

Sidney Nolan: Antarctica (1984), Fermoy Art Gallery, King's Lynn, 08 Aug 1984–01 Sep 1984.

Sir Sidney Nolan: a retrospective celebrating his 75th birthday (1992), The Terrace Gallery, 19 Jul 1992–31 Oct 1992.

Sidney Nolan: Antarctic journey (2006-2007), Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, 29 Nov 2006–25 Feb 2007.

Sidney Nolan (2007-2008), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 03 Nov 2007–03 Feb 2008.

Sidney Nolan (2007-2008), Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, 22 Feb 2008–18 May 2008.

Sidney Nolan (2007-2008), Queensland Art Gallery, 06 Jun 2008–31 Aug 2008.

Sidney Nolan: Antarctica (2010), The Polar Museum [part of Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge], 29 Sep 2010–18 Dec 2010.

Antarctica, The Drill Hall Gallery, Australian National University, 24 May 2012–01 Jul 2012.