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An image of Breakfast piece by Herbert Badham
Alternate image of Breakfast piece by Herbert Badham Alternate image of Breakfast piece by Herbert Badham Alternate image of Breakfast piece by Herbert Badham
Alternate image of Breakfast piece by Herbert Badham Alternate image of Breakfast piece by Herbert Badham

Herbert Badham

(Australia 24 Jul 1899–1961)

Title
Breakfast piece
Other titles:
Breakfast
Year
1936
Media category
Painting
Materials used
oil on hardboard
Dimensions

59.0 x 71.0cm board; 71.0 x 83.3 x 4.5cm frame

Signature & date
Signed and dated l.l. corner, red oil "H BADHAM ''36 ["HB" monogram]".
Credit
Purchased 1936
Accession number
6381
Copyright
© Estate of Herbert Badham
Location
20th & 21st c Australian art
Further information

Studying under Julian Ashton, George W Lambert and Henry Gibbons at Ashton’s Sydney Art School, Herbert Badham received a traditional art training based on the primacy of draughtsmanship, to which he added a personal interest in perspective and design. Exemplifying this particular interest, 'Breakfast piece' is an arrangement of objects amongst which the artist has situated his wife. The painting’s tranquil morning mood, however, is counterpointed as the routine breakfast ‘props’ are juxtaposed with the newspaper headline announcing Mussolini’s invasion of Abyssinia.

Badham was one of a number of figurative painters in Sydney between the wars whose work typified an aspect of Sydney modernism that addressed contemporary subjects through predominantly English realist traditions.

Bibliography (16)

Ian Burn, National life and landscape - Australian painting 1900-1940, Sydney, 1990, 178, 179 (colour illus.). plate no. 139

Eileen Chanin, Art Network Spring 1983, 'Herbert Badham', pg. 20-21, Artarmon, Spring 1983, 21.

Christine Dixon, Herbert Badham 1899-1961 1987, Wollongong, 1987, 12, 17 (colour illus.), 22. cat.no. 15

Deborah Edwards, Australian art: in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, 'Classical allusions', pg. 135-136, Domain, 2000, 135-136, 148 (colour illus.), 300.

Emma Glyde, Look Sep 2012, ‘Tea and the art of good taste’, pg. 22-23, Newtown, Sep 2012, 23 (colour illus.).

Bruce James, Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, 'Australian Collection: Painting and Sculpture', pg. 102-181, Domain, 1999, 145 (colour illus.).

Rodney James., WARNING: Smoking has been linked to some of the most powerful images of the twentieth century 2006, 'Come to where the flavour is, smoking, cigarettes + modernity', Mornington, 2006. List of works.

Heather Johnson, Brought to light: Australian Art 1850-1965, 'Reality or Religious Fantasy? Roy de Maistre and Herbert Badham', pg. 218-223, South Brisbane, 1998, 222.

Lionel Lindsay, 150 years of Australian art 1938, Sydney, 1938. cat.no. 161 [Gallery No. 2]

Hal Missingham, A retrospective exhibition of Australian painting 1953, Domain, 1953. cat.no. 100

John Slater, Through artists' eyes: Australian suburbs and their cities 1919-1945, 'Suburbs: "The partial paradise"', pg. 175-205, Melbourne, 2004, 202, 203 (colour illus.), 204. illus.no. 164

Linda Slutzkin, Interiors - from the collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales 1981, Sydney, 1981, 4, 12-13, 20 (colour illus.). cat.no. 12

Bernard Smith, 100 years of Australian painting 1948, 'Foreword', pg. 2-4, Sydney, 1948, 10. cat.no. 51

Society of Artists, Society of Artists Annual Exhibition (1936) 1936, Sydney, 1936. cat.no. 66; priced 30 guineas

Sydney Ure Smith (Editor), Art of Australia 1788-1941 1941, New York, 1941, 44. cat.no. 105; titled 'Breakfast'.

Gavin Wilson, Cuisine & country: a gastronomic venture in Australian art 2008, 'Cuisine & Country', pg. 9-66, New South Wales, 2008, 28, 31 (colour illus.), 86.

Exhibition history (8)

Society of Artists Annual Exhibition (1936), Education Department Gallery [Loftus Street], Sydney, 04 Sep 1936–02 Oct 1936

150 years of Australian art (1938), National Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 27 Jan 1938–25 Apr 1938

Art of Australia 1788-1941:

100 years of Australian painting (1948), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 19 Apr 1948–17 May 1948

A retrospective exhibition of Australian painting, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 25 Sep 1953–25 Oct 1953

Warning: Smoking has been linked to some of the most powerful images of the twentieth century – an MPRG exhibition., Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Mornington, 04 Apr 2006–28 May 2006

Cuisine and country: a culinary venture in Australian Art:

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