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Murray Griffin

(Australia 1903–1992)

Title
Lyre bird feeding
Year
1935-1936
Media category
Print
Materials used
linocut, printed in colour from multiple blocks on ivory laid paper
Edition
13/17
Dimensions

16.5 x 43.2cm blockmark; 23.9 x 46.6cm sheet

Signature & date
Signed with monogram and dated in block to print l.l., gold ink ".../ 1935/ VMG". Signed and dated with printing date l.r., pencil "Murray Griffin 36".
Credit
Purchased 1984
Accession number
302.1984
Location
Not on display
Further information

Murray Griffin was born in Melbourne, and studied drawing and painting at the National Gallery School, Melbourne 1919-22. He was influenced by the colour woodcuts of the Austrian artist Norbertine Bresslern-Roth whose popular prints were frequently exhibited in the 1930s, including Australia. He experimented with linocutting as early as 1922, after learning to etch from Victor Cobb; his print 'The old lodge - Banyule' 1922 is amongst the earliest dated linocuts in Australia. Napier Waller and Griffin may have practised the technique together. However, it was not until 1932 that he began printmaking in earnest, rapidly expanding his technical skills, and establishing a solid reputation for his work. Griffin recognised that birds as a subject were commercially popular, and deliberately depicted them to encourage sales of his work. In 1933 his prints became larger. He was the only printmaker of the time to use the reduction process, a point he stressed in exhibition catalogues to emphasise the uniqueness of each edition as 'high art'. 'Lyre bird feeding' was first exhibited in 1935. Murray Griffin was appointed to teach etching at the National Gallery School, Melbourne by John Brack in 1965.

Hendrik Kolenberg and Anne Ryan, 'Australian prints from the Gallery's collection', AGNSW, 1998

Bibliography (3)

Helen Campbell (Australia) (Author), Colour, rhythm, design: wood & lino cuts of the 20s & 30s, Sydney, 2010, 17 (colour illus.).

Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia) (Author), Anne Ryan (Australia) (Author), Australian prints from the Gallery's collection, Sydney, 1998, 68 (colour illus.). cat.no. 57

Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia) (Author), Animals on paper - from the Australian collection of prints, drawings and watercolours, Sydney, 1992. cat.no. 15

Exhibition history (6)

Animals on paper: from the Australian collection of prints, drawings and watercolours, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 05 Sep 1992–05 Oct 1992.

Animals on paper: from the Australian collection of prints, drawings and watercolours, Dubbo Regional Art Gallery, 18 Dec 1992–24 Jan 1993.

Animals on paper: from the Australian collection of prints, drawings and watercolours, Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery, 01 May 1993–30 May 1993.

Animals on paper: from the Australian collection of prints, drawings and watercolours, Grafton Regional Gallery, 11 Jun 1993–01 Aug 1993.

Australian prints from the Gallery's collection (1998-1999), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 06 Nov 1998–07 Feb 1999.

Australian Collection Focus: Colour, Rhythm, Design - wood & lino cuts of the 20s & 30s, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 12 Mar 2010–11 Jul 2010.