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An image of Central Australia by Sidney Nolan
Alternate image of Central Australia by Sidney Nolan

Sidney Nolan

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

Title
Central Australia
Year
1950
Media category
Painting
Materials used
enamel and oil on hardboard
Dimensions

122.0 x 152.5cm board; 138.2 x 168.0 x 1.8cm frame

Signature & date
Signed and dated l.r. corner, red oil "18.3.50/ Nolan".
Credit
Purchased with funds provided by the Nelson Meers Foundation 2004
Accession number
201.2004
Copyright
© The Trustees of the Sidney Nolan Trust
Location
20th & 21st c Australian art
Further information

'Central Australia' is among the most majestic paintings of the series that emerged out of Nolan's visit to Central Australia during 1949. Nolan himself stated to Professor Ford, who purchased this painting from Nolan's 1950 solo exhibition at David Jones' Art Gallery, that 'in many ways it was, I think, the most complete statement I was able to make on Central Australia'. Like other paintings of this series, it arose out of Nolan's experience of flying over inland Australia, accompanying mail runs to remote settlements. Using an aerial viewpoint to increase the sense of vastness, his painting celebrates the extraordinary beauty of desert colour, form and light.

Bibliography (36)

Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Author), Art Gallery of New South Wales: highlights from the collection, Sydney, 2008, 100-101 (colour illus.).

Maudie Palmer (b.1944) (Editor), Encounters with Australian modern art, South Yarra, 2008, 20, 21 (colour illus.), 22. NOTE: Related work reproduced: titled 'Lagoon', 1950, private collection.

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, 8-9 (colour illus.), 40, 134, 147 (colour illus.), 234. cat.no. 55

'Artist's choice: Nolan and the Central Australian landscape 1949-50' by John Olsen, pg. 212., Art and Australia (Vol. 44, No. 2) Dec 2006-Feb 2007, Dec 2006-Feb 2007, 212, 213 (colour illus.).

Susan McCulloch (England; Australia, b.1949) (Author), Alan McCulloch (Australia, b.1907, d.1992) (Author), Emily McCulloch Childs (Australia, b.1976) (Author), The new McCulloch's encyclopedia of Australian art, Carlton, 2006, 733 (colour illus.).

'Doing justice to Nolan', pg. 8., Look Mar 2005, Mar 2005, 8 (colour illus.). NOTE: Reproduction shows Nelson Meers and Sam Meers in front of the painting.

'Nolan emerges from Kelly's shadow' by Terry Ingram, pg. 40., The Weekend Australian financial review 22 Jan 2005-23 Jan 2005, 22 Jan 2005-23 Jan 2005, 40 (colour illus.). NOTE: 'Smart money' section.

'Mix 'n' match' by Peter Hill, pg. 18., The Sydney Morning Herald 15 Jan 2005-16 Jan 2005, 15 Jan 2005-16 Jan 2005, 18. NOTE: Spectrum supplement of Saturday's edition.

Art Gallery of New South Wales Annual Report 2005 2005, 2005, 28.

'AGNSW's new Nolan room', pg. 6., Age 22 Dec 2004, 22 Dec 2004, 6.

'Sydney [sic] Nolan at the Art Gallery of NSW', pg. 18., La Fiamma 22 Dec 2004, 22 Dec 2004, 18.

'Gallery makes room for foundation's gift of Nolans' by Sebastian Smee., The Australian 21 Dec 2004, 21 Dec 2004, (colour illus.). Image shows 'Central Australia' on display with Judith White, Nelson Meers, Sam Meers and Edmund Capon in front of work.

'Gallery sells off the family silver and strikes gold' by Clare Morgan., The Sydney Morning Herald 21 Dec 2004, 21 Dec 2004, (colour illus.). NOTE: Two reproductions of work: one image shows 'Central Australia' on display with Judith White, Nelson Meers, Sam Meers and Edmund Capon in front of work.

'Nolan the nation's "greatest painter"' by Krystyna Pollar., The Australian 19 Dec 2004, 19 Dec 2004. NOTE: This article also appeared in Melbourne's 'Herald Sun' and 'Daily telegraph', Adelaide's 'Advertiser' and Brisbane's 'Courier mail', on 19 December 2004.

'Nolan's Australia' by Jill Sykes, pg. 28-31., Look Oct 2004, Oct 2004, front cover (colour illus., detail), 7 (colour illus.), 28-29 (colour illus.), 30.

Art Gallery of New South Wales Annual Report 2004 2004, 2004, 19-20.

Geoffrey Smith (Author), Sidney Nolan: desert & drought, Melbourne, 2003, 21, 25, 53 (colour illus.), 148. cat.no. 31

Brian Adams (Australia) (Author), Sidney Nolan: such is life, Melbourne, 1987, 109-114. NOTE: Discussion of Nolan's trip to Central Australia and the series of landscape paintings.

Lauraine Diggins Fine Art (Australia), Nolan: Myths, landscapes & portraits 1942-1964, Melbourne, 1987, (colour illus.). cat.no. 12

Alan McCulloch (Australia, b.1907, d.1992) (Author), Encyclopedia of Australian art (Vol.2, L-Z), Hawthorn East, 1984, between pages 848 and 849 (colour illus.).

Sandra McGrath (United States of America; Australia) (Author), John Olsen (Australia; England; Spain; Portugal, b.1928) (Author), The artist & the desert, Sydney, 1981, 58-60. NOTE: Discussion of series of Central Australian landscapes and David Jones' Gallery exhibition in 1950.

Author Unknown (Author), Spring Exhibition 1979 (Joseph Brown Gallery 1979), Melbourne, Oct 1979, (colour illus.). cat.no. 136

Sidney Nolan (Australia; England, b.1917, d.1992) (Illustrator), Elwyn Lynn (Australia, b.1917, d.1997) (Author), Sidney Nolan - Australia, Sydney, 1979, 13. NOTE: General reference.

Sidney Nolan 1976, 1976, 20.

Christie's, Australia Pty. Ltd. (Australia), Christie's: Australian paintings. Sale No. 14, Sydney, 1975, front cover (colour illus.), between 78 and 79 (colour illus.). lot no. 418

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

Art and Australia [vol. 5, no. 2] Sep 1967, Sep 1967, 455, 456 (colour illus.). NOTE: Owned by Professor Sir Edward Ford.

Hal Missingham (Australia, b.1906, d.1994) (Author), Sidney Nolan. Retrospective exhibition. Paintings from 1937 to 1967, Domain, 1967, 20. cat.no. 59

'Prize-winning paintings in Archibald and Wynne contests' by F.L., pg. 3., The Sydney Morning Herald 20 Jan 1951, 20 Jan 1951, 3. NOTE: Review of Archibald and Wynne competitions.

'Dobell painting is "superb"' by James Gleeson, pg. 4., Sun 20 Jan 1951, 20 Jan 1951. NOTE: Review of Archibald and Wynne competitions.

National Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), Archibald, Wynne, Sulman competitions for 1950, Sydney, 1951?, 12. cat.no. 33 in Wynne Compeition entries

'Landscapes triumph for Aust. artist' by James Gleeson, pg. 19., Sun 31 Mar 1950, 31 Mar 1950, 19. NOTE: Review of 'Sidney Nolan: exhibition of Central Australian landscapes', held at David Jones Art Gallery, Sydney.

'Gentlemanly jackeroos [sic]: wash of Archibald Prize'., Sun 26 Jan 1950, 26 Jan 1950, unknown.

'Mediocre Archibald paintings' by James Gleeson., Sun 21 Jan 1950, 21 Jan 1950, 3. NOTE: Review of Archibald Prize.

'Archibald Prize: Avan artist wins Archibald Prize with chance work: Paintings 'Conservative'" by Art Critic [Paul Haefliger]., The Sydney Morning Herald 21 Jan 1950, 21 Jan 1950. NOTE: Review of Archibald Prize.

David Jones' Art Gallery, Sydney (Australia, estab. 1928), Sidney Nolan: exhibition of Central Australian landscapes, Sydney, 1950. cat.no. 19; titled 'Central Australia'; price: 150 Guineas

Exhibition history (12)

Sidney Nolan: exhibition of Central Australian landscapes (1950), David Jones' Art Gallery, Sydney, 31 Mar 1950–14 Apr 1950.

Archibald, Wynne and Sulman (1950), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 20 Jan 1951–04 Mar 1951.

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.

Christie's: Australian paintings. Sale No. 14, Bonython Art Gallery [Sydney], 18 Oct 1975–21 Oct 1975.

Spring exhibition 1979, Joseph Brown Gallery, 17 Oct 1979–30 Oct 1979.

Nolan: Myths, landscapes and portraits 1942-1964, Lauraine Diggins Fine Art, 11 Jun 1987–26 Jun 1987.

Sidney Nolan: Desert and Drought, Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, 06 Jun 2003–17 Aug 2003.

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.