Thea Proctor

(Australia 02 Oct 1879–29 Jul 1966)

Title

Summer

Year

(1930)

Media category

Materials used

woodcut, printed in black ink, hand-coloured on thin ivory mulberry paper

Edition

number 11 from an unknown edition

Dimensions

17.5 x 22.8cm blockmark; 20.4 x 26.5cm sheet

Signature & date

Signed with initials in block to print l.l., white reversed out of black ink "TP". Signed l.r., pencil "Thea Proctor". Not dated.

Credit

Purchased 1965

Accession number

DA2.1965

Copyright

Location

Not on display

Further information

Encouraged by the example of Margaret Preston (who gave her the wood to work with) Thea Proctor made her first woodcuts in 1925, later stating that they were made mainly for children’s nurseries. This medium suited her interest in
colour and design.

After her return from London in 1921, Proctor epitomised ‘the modern’ in 1920s Sydney. Her work effortlessly spanned the worlds of art exhibitions, design and décor, and she was involved in the establishment of the Contemporary Group in Sydney, which encouraged young avant-garde artists.

Bibliography (14)

AJIOKA Chiaki (Japan) (Author), Connie Tornatore-Loong (Australia) (Author), Japan in Sydney: Professor Sadler & modernism, 1920-30s, Sydney, 2011, 28, 34 (colour illus.), 137. cat.no. 37

Helen Campbell (Australia) (Author), Colour, rhythm, design: wood & lino cuts of the 20s & 30s, Sydney, 2010, 3 (colour illus.).

Louise Tegart (Australia) (Editor), Slow burn: A century of Australian women artists from a private collection, Sydney, 2010, 20, 22 (colour illus.). NOTE: this is not the AGNSW impression

Andrew Sayers (Australia, b.1957) (Author), Sarah Engledow (Australia) (Author), Barry Humphries (Australia, b.1934) (Author), The world of Thea Proctor, Canberra, 2005, 45, 49-50, 125 (colour illus.). NOTE: this is not the AGNSW impression

Bridget Elliott (Canada, b.1957) (Editor), Janice Helland (Canada) (Editor), Women artists and the decorative arts 1880-1935: the gender of ornament, Aldershot, 2002, 78, 79.

Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia) (Author), Anne Ryan (Australia) (Author), Australian prints from the Gallery's collection, Sydney, 1998, 60 (colour illus.). cat.no. 48

Kirsty Grant (Author), Jason Smith (Australia, b.1966) (Author), In relief: Australian wood engravings, woodcuts and linocuts, Melbourne, 1997, 32 (colour illus.). Collection of the National Gallery of Victoria

Kay Vernon (Author), Harbour hymns, city songs: visions of Sydney from the collection, Sydney, 1990. cat.no. 119

Josef Lebovic (Australia) (Author), Australian women printmakers, Paddington, 1988, 12. cat.no. 97a; dated 1930; NOTE: this is not the AGNSW impression.

Josef Lebovic (Australia) (Author), Masterpieces of Australian printmaking, Paddington, 1987, 102, 103. NOTE: this is not the AGNSW impression

Janda Gooding (Australia) (Author), Thea Proctor, Perth, 1982, 13. NOTE: this is not the AGNSW impression

Janine Burke (Australia, b.1952) (Author), Australian women artists 1840-1940, Collingwood, 1980, 133 (illus.), 177. plate no. 58; Collection of National Gallery of Victoria

Jan Minchin (Author), Roger Butler (Australia, b.1948) (Author), Chris Deutscher (Australia) (Author), The prints: Thea Proctor, Sydney, 1980, 72, 73 (colour illus.). cat.no. 25; NOTE: this is not the AGNSW impression

Nicholas Draffin (Australia, b.1943, d.1995) (Author), Australian woodcuts and linocuts of the 1920s and 1930s, South Melbourne, 1976, 12, 40 (colour illus.). dated circa 1930

Exhibition history (4)

Harbour hymns, city songs: visions of Sydney from the collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 13 Jan 1990–11 Mar 1990.

Australian prints from the Gallery's collection (1998-1999), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 06 Nov 1998–07 Feb 1999.

Australian Collection Focus: Colour, Rhythm, Design - wood & lino cuts of the 20s & 30s, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 12 Mar 2010–11 Jul 2010.

Professor Sadler, Japan and Australian modernism, University Art Gallery, University of Sydney, 03 Apr 2011–24 Jul 2011.