Norman Lindsay
(Australia 23 Feb 1879–21 Nov 1969)
- Title
- Bacchanal or The vintage festival
- Other titles:
- The vintage festival
- Year
- (1905)
- Media category
- Drawing
- Materials used
- pencil, pen and black ink on ivory wove paper
- Dimensions
-
28.2 x 25.3cm image; 32.6 x 28.4cm sheet
- Signature & date
- Signed l.r., pen and black ink "NORMAN LINDSAY". Not dated.
- Credit
- Purchased 1943
- Accession number
- 7332
- Location
- Not on display
- Further information
The eroticism of Lindsay's images defied the pervasive hypocrisy and wowserism of the time. Rubery Bennett, the artist's agent gave the following account of a bishop's response to Lindsay's subjects:
"A Bishop came in one day accompanied by a lesser dignitary of the church and asked could he see some of Norman's etchings - afterwards I thought he probably meant Lionel's. However, we had a big folio and we used to allow the lid to fall down and let the etchings fall flat on the lid. He saw about four or five and then he slammed the folio shut and in a most outraged and dignified manner told me that they were frightful, vulgar and obscene, in fact, that they reminded him of a lot of prostitutes. My reply was that I bowed to his superior knowledge as I had never seen a nude prostitute. When I told Norman he said 'Bloody Liar!'. "
- Bibliography (8)
-
Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), Parallel visions: works from the Australian collection, Domain, 2002, 82, 83 (colour illus.), 145, 147.
Ursula Prunster (Australia) (Author), The legendary Lindsays, Roseville, 1995, 37 (illus.).
Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia) (Author), The portrait and the nude: Australian drawings from the collection, Sydney, 1990. cat.no. 48
Deborah Edwards (Australia) (Author), Stampede of the Lower Gods: Classical Mythology in Australian Art, Domain, Sep 1989, 18 (illus.), 19, 63.
Art in Australia [series 3, no. 40] 15 Oct 1931, 15 Oct 1931. plate no. 14. Entry as "Bacchanal. In the possession of Arthur Streeton Esq."
Farmer & Co Limited (estab. 1897) (Compilator), Catalogue exhibition and sale of paintings by Arthur Streeton, Sydney, Nov 1923, 10, 14 (illus.). cat.no. 6; titled 'The Bacchanal'
Author Unknown (Author), Pen Drawings of Norman Lindsay, Sydney, 1918. plate no. XIX. Entry as "Bacchanal. 1905. Collection of Arthur Streeton."
New South Wales Society of Artists (Australia, estab. 1895, closed 1960s) (Author), Society of Artists Exhibition, New South Wales, 1907. cat.no. 17. Entry as "A Bacchanal. Black and White, 15gns."
- Exhibition history (8)
-
Society of Artists Spring Exhibition (1907), Society Rooms, Queen Victoria Markets, 16 Aug 1907 -.
Exhibition & auction sale: Paintings by Arthur Streeton (1923), Farmer's Exhibition Hall, 27 Nov 1923–28 Nov 1923.
Stampede of the Lower Gods: Classical Mythology in Australian Art 1890's-1930's, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 19 Oct 1989–26 Nov 1989.
The portrait and the nude: Australian drawings from the collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 18 Aug 1990–28 Oct 1990.
The Legendary Lindsays, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 06 Jan 1995–26 Feb 1995.
The Legendary Lindsays, City of Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, 10 Mar 1995–30 Apr 1995.
Bodyline, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre, 03 Feb 2001–08 Apr 2001.
Parallel Visions: Twenty-two artists from the Australian collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 22 Feb 2002–May 2003.
