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Collection

An image of Keswick siding by Jeffrey Smart
Alternate image of Keswick siding by Jeffrey Smart Alternate image of Keswick siding by Jeffrey Smart Alternate image of Keswick siding by Jeffrey Smart

Jeffrey Smart

(Italy, Australia 1921– )

Title
Keswick siding
Place of origin
Keswick → Adelaide → South Australia → Australia
Year
1945
Media category
Painting
Materials used
oil on jute canvas
Dimensions

62.0 x 72.1cm stretcher; 78.0 x 88.5 x 6.7cm frame

Signature & date
Signed and dated l.r. corner, brown oil "JEFF SMART 45".
Credit
Gift of Charles B Moses 1982
Accession number
193.1982
Copyright
© Jeffrey Smart
Location
Not on display
Further information

When I was very young, I had seen Keswick siding many times from the suburban train between Unley Park and Adelaide. Eventually I decided to do something about it, but it was difficult. The siding was on railway property, so I had to get off at Keswick station and climb down from the platform with my easel and gear and camera, and walk along the tracks with trains rushing past. Once work is started there is always the possibility of an officious railway worker ordering you off the site.
Jeffrey Smart, 1996

Keswick siding declares Smart's early fascination for urban industrial landscapes and transport systems and witnesses the emergence of pictorial elements that have persisted throughout his career. It reflects his absorption of old master painting techniques from teachers at the South Australian School of Art, Marie Tuck (pupil of Rupert Bunny) and Ivor Hele. However, it is also an example of the painterly impasto approach that preceded his shift in technique to the 'eggshell' finish characteristic of his mature style.

Bibliography (12)

Edmund Capon, I blame Duchamp: my life's adventures in art, 'Jefrrey Smart: a man of great composure', pg. 179-190, Surry Hills, 2009, 185, 193.

Edmund Capon, Jeffrey Smart retrospective 1999, 'Still, Silent, Composed', pg. 12-21, Sydney, 1999, 16, 21, 27 (colour illus.), 28, 69 (colour illus.), 202. cat.no 4. The image on pg. 26 is in detail.

Edmund Capon, Barry Pearce and Ursula Prunster, Jeffrey Smart - A review exhibition 1982, Domain, 1982, 2 (illus.), 5. cat.no. 6

Edmund Capon, Parallel visions: works from the Australian collection 2002, 'John Brack / Jeffrey Smart', pg. 116-127, Domain, 2002, 122 (colour illus.), 123, 124, 146, 147.

Gavin Fry, Paint on the tracks: Australian artists and the railway 1994, 'Introduction', pg. 7-10, Sydney, 1994, 8, 22, 23 (illus.), 50. cat.no. 35

Bruce James, The Sydney Morning Herald 04 Sep 1999, 'Getting Smart', pg. 14, Sydney, 04 Sep 1999, 14s. This article appears in the Spectrum section of the newspaper.

Barry Pearce, Australian painters of the twentieth century, 'Jeffrey Smart', pg. 172-183, Roseville, 2000, 174 (colour illus.), 179.

Barry Pearce, Master of stillness: Jeffrey Smart paintings 1940–2011 2012, 'Search for the timeless', pg. 7-21, Kent Town, 2012, 10, 31 (colour illus.), 125. cat.no. 13

Barry Pearce, Jeffrey Smart, 'Art and life in South Australia', pg. 24-69, Roseville, 2005, 30 (colour illus.), 45, 47, 51.

Barry Pearce, Australian art: in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 'The enduring image', pg. 265-266, Domain, 2000, 271 (colour illus.), 302.

Barry Pearce and Patrick McCaughey, Twentieth century Australian masterworks from the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Fred Williams Pilbara Series 1985, Tokyo, 1985, 44 (colour illus.). cat.no. 25

Peter Quartermaine, Jeffrey Smart 1983, South Yarra, 1983, 56 (colour illus.), 100. cat.no. 71

Exhibition history (8)

Jeffrey Smart - A review exhibition (1982), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 17 Jun 1982–08 Aug 1982

Twentieth century Australian masterworks from the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Fred Williams Pilbara series from the collection of CRA Limited, Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, 04 Oct 1985–06 Nov 1985

Justin O'Brien and friends: a birthday celebration, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney, 06 Aug 1987–30 Aug 1987

Paint on the tracks: Australian artists and the railway, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney, 22 Apr 1994–29 May 1994

Jeffrey Smart retrospective (1999-2000):

Parallel Visions: Twenty-two artists from the Australian collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 22 Feb 2002–May 2003

Australian modern masterpieces from the Art Gallery of New South Wales:

Master of Stillness: Jeffrey Smart paintings 1940–2011, Carrick Hill, Australia, 12 Oct 2012–24 Feb 2013