Harold Abbott

(Australia, England 1906–08 Jun 1986)

Title

Miss Jeanie Ranken

Year

1937

Media category

Painting

Materials used

oil on canvas

Dimensions

122.0 x 91.5cm stretcher; 141.7 x 111.2 x 10.0cm frame

Signature & date

Signed and dated l.l. corner, dark brown oil "ABBOTT '37".

Credit

Gift of Elinor and Fred Wrobel 1976

Accession number

206.1976

Location

Not on display

Further information

This portrait of Miss Jeanie Ranken was runner up in the 1937 Archibald Prize, receiving the following praise from the Sydney Morning Herald art critic:

"... one of the younger artists has increased his scope and provided an impressive work. This is Harold Aboott's portrait of Miss Jeanie Ranken. The general effect is discriminating, not to say highly discreet. The figure has been displayed as an element in a piece of flat decoration. A parallel with well-known portraits by Whistler is unavoidable. But Mr Abbott's sense of colour is definitely his own. He uses his colours tenderly, yet with a keen sense of accent. The characteristic mien and appearance of the sitter, too, have been calmly and surely conveyed."

Visible on the wall behind the sitter is a small self portrait sketch of the artist painted in 1932 while Abbott was a student at the Royal Academy Schools, London. This self portait is now in the collection of the National Gallery of Australia.

Miss Ranken was a Sydney journalist. In 1939 she was awarded The Order of the British Empire - Member (Civil).

Bibliography (6)

Elinor Wrobel (Australia), Harold Abbott 1906-1986: New England Regional Art Museum touring exhibition 1987-1988, Armidale, 1987, 6, 15. cat.no. 8

Christine Dixon (Author), Dinah Dysart (Australia) (Author), Counterclaims: presenting Australian art 1938-1941, Sydney, 1986, 44 (illus.). cat.no. AAA1

Art in Australia [series 3, no. 71] May 1938, May 1938, 37 (illus.).

Macquarie Galleries (Australia, estab. 1925, closed 1993), Exhibition of paintings and drawings by Harold Abbott, Sydney, 1938. cat.no. 10; titled 'Miss Jeanie Ranken'; price: 75 Guineas

Australian Academy of Art 1938, Sydney, 1938, 22. cat.no. 184; titled 'Portrait of Miss Jeanie Ranken'

'Archibald Prize winner: Normand H. Baker. Wynne Prize to Gruner'., The Sydney morning herald 25 Feb 1938, 25 Feb 1938. Review of the Archibald and Wynne Prizes for 1937.

Exhibition history (8)

Archibald, Wynne and Sulman (1937), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 25 Feb 1938–Mar 1938.

Australian Academy of Art 1938, Vickery's Galleries, 08 Apr 1938–29 Apr 1938.

Exhibition of paintings and drawings by Harold Abbott (1938), Macquarie Galleries, 09 Nov 1938–21 Nov 1938.

Counterclaims: presenting Australian art 1938-1941, S.H. Ervin Gallery, 17 May 1986–06 Jul 1986.

Harold Abbott 1906-1986, Newcastle Region Art Gallery, 02 Oct 1987–01 Nov 1987.

Harold Abbott 1906-1986, Wollongong City Gallery, 06 Dec 1987–26 Jan 1988.

Harold Abbott 1906-1986, S.H. Ervin Gallery, 04 Feb 1988–28 Feb 1988.

Harold Abbott 1906-1986, New England Regional Art Museum, 03 Jun 1988–30 Aug 1988.

Collection

Harold Abbott