Sidney Nolan

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

Title

Colonial head

Year

1947

Media category

Painting

Materials used

Ripolin enamel on cardboard

Dimensions

76.2 x 65.5cm board; 87.0 x 74.8 x 5.1cm stretcher

Signature & date

Signed and dated l.r. corner, pencil "Nolan 1947". Signed and dated l.l. corner verso on board, red crayon "4.4.47/ nolan".

Credit

Purchased with funds provided by the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales 2001

Accession number

7.2001

Copyright

Location

Not on display

Further information

Nolan made several portraits of bushrangers and of an unmasked Ned Kelly. 'Colonial head' was painted as Nolan drew towards the end of his major Kelly series of 1946-47. The tie may derive from composite police photographs of the outlaw in which his head was collaged to the bodies of others, for identification purposes.

However, this painting may be as much about Nolan himself as any bushranger. It has a certain psychological intensity relating to the artist's personal situation at this time. The atmosphere at Heide, where he was living with his patrons John and Sunday Reed, had become emotionally claustrophobic and would end in his permanent departure for Sydney only three months later.

Bibliography (14)

'From the President' by Michael Feneley, pg. 11., Look Oct 2007, Oct 2007, 11.

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, 28, 29 (colour illus.), 129 (colour illus.), 232. cat.no. 39

'Doing justice to Nolan' by Jill Skyes, pg. 8., Look Mar 2005, Mar 2005, 8.

'Important purchases: what the Society and Contempo bought for the Gallery in 2001', pg. 16-17., Look Dec 2001-Jan 2002, Dec 2001-Jan 2002, 16, 17 (colour illus.).

'Nolan boost' by Bronwyn Watson, pg 18-19., Look Jun 2001, Jun 2001, 18, 19 (colour illus.).

'Pick of the crop for wily Capon: Gallery acquisitions analysis' by Bruce James, pg. 16., The Sydney Morning Herald 12 Apr 2001, 12 Apr 2001, 16.

Art Gallery of New South Wales Annual Report 2001 2001, 2001, 8, 24, 26.

Rex Irwin Art Dealer (Australia, estab. 1976) (Author), Sidney Nolan: Important paintings from the Estate of the Artist, Sydney, 1998, (colour illus.). cat.no.; titled 'Colonial Head'

'Essential Nolan' by Giles Auty, pg. 13., The Australian Weekend Review 28 Jun 1997-29 Jun 1997, 28 Jun 1997-29 Jun 1997, 13. NOTE: Review of 'Nolan: a Reputation Reassessed' exhibition at Agnews.

Andrew Sayers (Australia, b.1957) (Author), The Ned Kelly Paintings: Nolan at Heide 1946-47, Melbourne, 1997. NOTE: General information. Portraits of similiar approach.

Nicholas Isherwood (United Kingdom) (Author), Nolan's Nolans: a reputation reassessed, London, 1997, 32 (colour illus.). not paginated; cat.no. 32; price £75,000

'Dark, personal gods and icons' by William Packer, pg. 23., Financial times (London) 21 Feb 1989, 21 Feb 1989, 23. NOTE: Review of Waddington Galleries exhibition.

Waddington Galleries (England) (Compilator), Sidney Nolan (1989), London, 1989, 4, 5 (colour illus.), 48. cat.no. 1

MacRae, Curtice & Co. (England, estab. 1888) (Author), Sidney Nolan: 1937 to 1979, Kent, 1979. not paginated; cat.no. 25; Medium: Oil on board

Exhibition history (9)

Sidney Nolan: 1939 to 1979, Arts Centre New Metropole, May 1979–Jun 1979.

Sidney Nolan (1989), Waddington Galleries, 01 Feb 1989–25 Feb 1989.

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

Sidney Nolan: Important paintings from the Estate of the Artist (1998), Rex Irwin Art Dealer, 23 Jun 1998–18 Jul 1998.

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.

Australian modern masterpieces from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, 05 Oct 2011–27 Nov 2011.

Australian modern masterpieces from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Newcastle Region Art Gallery, 10 Dec 2011–04 Mar 2012.

Collection

Sidney Nolan