Skip to content

Collection

An image of Luna Park by Sidney Nolan

Sidney Nolan

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

Title
Luna Park
Year
1941
Media category
Painting
Materials used
enamel on canvas
Dimensions

67.0 x 84.0cm stretcher; 72.3 x 89.5 x 4.3cm frame

Signature & date
Dated l.l., black synthetic polymer paint ".../ 41".
Credit
Purchased with funds provided by the Nelson Meers Foundation 2003
Accession number
35.2003
Copyright
© The Trustees of the Sidney Nolan Trust/Bridgeman Art Library
Location
20th & 21st c Australian art
Further information

Sidney Nolan began his career in Melbourne in 1938 at the age of 21, a largely self-taught, consciously determined innovator. Work by Picasso, Cézanne, Rousseau, Matisse and van Gogh that he saw in the 1939 Herald exhibition of French and British contemporary art at the Melbourne Town Hall profoundly affected his visual imagination.

From the outset, Nolan drew on elements in the everyday world around him that lent themselves to abstraction. In 'Luna Park', inspired by the linear ironwork grid of the Big Dipper at St Kilda’s celebrated fun fair, Nolan transforms the structure into a pattern of graceful arabesques and rectangles set against the vivid colours of the fair and sky beyond.

Bibliography (25)

Brian Adams, Sidney Nolan: such is life, Melbourne, 1987, 46. Refers to the series of Luna Park and St Kilda paintings.

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of New South Wales Annual Report 2003 2003, Domain, 2003, 9, 14, 15 (colour illus.).

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of New South Wales Annual Report 2004 2004, 'Collection: Australian art', pg. 19-20, Sydney, 2004, 19.

Edmund Capon, Foundation Newsletter #2 May 2003, Domain, May 2003, (colour illus.).

Jane Clark, Sidney Nolan - landscapes and legends: a retrospective exhibition 1937 - 1987 1987, Sydney, 1987, 37. Refers to the series of Luna Park and St Kilda paintings.

Dulcie Deamer., Truth 14 Sep 1941, 'Why will our artists gibber?', Sydney, 14 Sep 1941, (illus.). Review of the Contemporary Art Society exhibition, in which this painting was shown in September 1941.

Deutscher-Menzies Fine Art, The Sydney auction: Australian and International Art: Fine Art, 4 March 2003, Sydney, 2003, 72, 73 (colour illus.). lot no. 41

Michael Gawenda (Editor in Chief), Age 22 Dec 2004, 'AGNSW's new Nolan room', pg. 6, Melbourne, 22 Dec 2004, 6.

Peter Hill, The Sydney Morning Herald 15 Jan 2005-16 Jan 2005, 'Mix 'n' match', pg. 18, Sydney, 15 Jan 2005-16 Jan 2005, 18 (colour illus.). Spectrum supplement of Saturday's edition.

Stephanie Holt and Jennifer Phipps (Curators), Luna park and the Art of Mass Delirium 1998, Melbourne, 1998, 14-15, 47. Refers to a number of Luna Park paintings but not specifically to this painting.

Terry Ingram, The Australian financial review 06 Mar 2003, 'Great appreciations', pg. 49, Sydney, 06 Mar 2003, 49.

Nicholas Isherwood, Nolan's Nolans: a reputation reassessed 1997, London, 1997, (colour illus.). cat.no. 6; not paginated

Frances Lindsay, Sidney Nolan 2007, 'Sidney Nolan: the end of St Kilda Pier', pg. 67-77, Sydney, 2007, 68, 94 (colour illus.), 229. cat.no. 8

Elwyn Lynn, Sidney Nolan: myth and imagery, London, 1967, 64 (illus.). plate no. 12

Giucio Montagna (Editor), La Fiamma 22 Dec 2004, 'Sydney [sic] Nolan at the Art Gallery of NSW', pg. 18, Leichhardt, 22 Dec 2004, 18.

Clare Morgan., The Sydney Morning Herald 21 Dec 2004, 'Gallery sells off the family silver and strikes gold', Sydney, 21 Dec 2004, (colour illus.).

Barry Pearce, Look Jul 2003, 'Gift of three Nolans', pg. 11-12, Newtown, Jul 2003, 11 (colour illus.), 12.

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

Public Programmes Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sidney Nolan retrospective 2007, Sydney, 2007, (illus.).

T.G. Rosenthal, Sidney Nolan, London, 2002, 26, 27 (colour illus.).

Sebastian Smee'., The Australian 21 Dec 2004, 'Gallery makes room for foundation's gift of Nolans', Surry Hills, 21 Dec 2004.

Sotheby's Australia, Sotheby's Melbourne: The Estate of Sir Sidney Nolan, Armadale, 2001, (colour illus.). lot no. 19

Jill Sykes (Editor), Look Mar 2005, 'Doing justice to Nolan', pg. 8, Newtown, Mar 2005, 8.

Jill Sykes, Look Oct 2004, 'Nolan's Australia', pg. 28-31, Newtown, Oct 2004, 30, 31 (colour illus.).

Third Annual Exhibition: Contemporary Art Society 1941, Sydney, 1941. cat.no. 165; titled 'Luna Park', price: 10 gns.

Exhibition history (3)

Contemporary Art Society Exhibition 1941:

Nolan's Nolans: a reputation reassessed, Agnew's, London, London, 11 Jun 1997–25 Jul 1997

Sidney Nolan (2007-2008):