-
Details
- Place where the work was made
-
United Kingdom
- Date
- 1868
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
-
203.5 x 111.7 cm stretcher; 229.0 x 137.0 x 6.7 cm frame
:
SUPPORT, x x, stretcher dimensions
- Signature & date
Signed and dated l.l., "W. Strutt 1868".
- Credit
- Purchased 1974
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 76.1974
- Copyright
- Artist information
-
William Strutt
Works in the collection
- Share
-
-
About
William Strutt was one of the first artists in Australia to produce large-scale history paintings. He also painted religious subjects, exhibiting these works regularly at the Royal Academy after his return to England.
A fine example of the latter, 'David’s first victory' portrays the biblical hero triumphant over the dead lion and bear, while bleating sheep and goats express their gratitude. Composed according to academic conventions, David stands at the apex of a triangle, its base formed by the lion’s body. Various studies were made for this painting, including a sketch of a lion and a bear made at the London Zoo in 1868.
The painting’s conservation and new frame were generously supported by Hyperion Asset Management 2010–11.
-
Places
Where the work was made
United Kingdom
-
Exhibition history
Shown in 7 exhibitions
First Annual International Exhibition, Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences, London, 01 May 1871–30 Sep 1871
Centennial International Exhibition, Melbourne 1888, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Melbourne, 01 Aug 1888–31 Jan 1889
Australian art in the 1870s, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 25 Jun 1976–02 Aug 1976
Australian art in the 1870s, National Gallery of Victoria [St Kilda Road], Melbourne, 28 Oct 1976–21 Nov 1976
William Strutt (1981), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Feb 1981–Mar 1981
William Strutt (1981), Queensland Art Gallery, South Brisbane, 1981–1981
William Strutt (1981), National Gallery of Victoria [St Kilda Road], Melbourne, 1981–1981
William Strutt (1981), Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart, 1981–1981
Dreams and realities: Victorian works on paper, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 07 Aug 1993–24 Oct 1993
Unknown, Geelong circa 1912, Exhibition Venue Unknown,
A Selection of Paintings and Prints (1974), Thirty Victoria Street, Potts Point
-
Bibliography
Referenced in 11 publications
-
Clune Galleries, A selection of paintings and prints (1974), Sydney, 1974, (colour illus.).
-
Heather Curnow, William Strutt, 'England 1862-1915', pg. 46-60, Australia, 1980, 50, 70, 71 (illus.), 107. cat.no. 12
-
Heather Curnow, The life & art of William Strutt, 1825-1915, 'English trends', pg. 55-72, Martinborough, 1980, 37, 39, 56, 57, 59, 76, 144, 194 (illus.). cat.no. 45
-
Cedric Flower (Compilator), Erotica: aspects of the erotic in Australian art, South Melbourne, 1977, 12, 21 (illus.).
-
Renée Free, Art Gallery of New South Wales catalogue of British paintings, Sydney, 1987, 193 (illus.).
-
Renée Free and Rose Peel, Dreams and realities: Victorian works on paper, Sydney, 1993, 2.
-
Terry Ingram., The Australian financial review, 'A rare body of work', Sydney, 07 Nov 2002, 65. Work mentioned in relation to another Strutt painting titled 'David's first victory' to go up for auction at Christie's sale on November 26, 2002.
-
Anne Kirker and Peter Tomory, British painting 1800–1990 in Australian and New Zealand public collections, Sydney, 1997, 166. cat.no. 2116
-
Hendrik Kolenberg, 19th century Australian watercolours, drawing and pastels from the Gallery's collection, 'Introduction', pg. 6-16, Sydney, 2005, 9.
-
Sotheby's Australia, Important paintings from the collection of John Schaeffer A.O., Sydney, 25 August 2003, Sydney, 2003, 14. lot no. 5; another version of the AGNSW's 'David's first victory' is reproduced in colour and was auctioned through Sotheby's Sydney, on 25 August 2003 as part of the John Schaeffer collection.
-
Daniel Thomas AM, Australian art in the 1870s, 'Introduction', pg.4-6, Sydney, 1976, 16, 51 (illus.). cat.no. 12
-
