James Gleeson

(Australia 21 Nov 1915–20 Oct 2008)

Title

The sower

Year

1944

Media category

Painting

Materials used

oil on canvas

Dimensions

76.2 x 50.8cm stretcher; 90.5 x 65.0 x 4.4cm frame

Signature & date

Signed and dated l.l. corner, pale blue oil "'44/ Gleeson".

Credit

Purchased 1966

Accession number

OA13.1966

Copyright

Location

20th & 21st c Australian art

Further information

I think that there was always the hope that it could influence the way people thought about war. That it could alert people to its horrors and prevent it occurring again. You see, I was born during the First World War in 1915, and my earliest experiences were with people who were in that war or remembered the war very vividly, and then, just when I was beginning to paint, the Second World War began. So war became a kind of lurking terror in my mind from infancy through to late adolescence, when it was all building up again for another one.

I had Millet’s Sower in mind when I painted it. This is a 20th-century ‘Sower’ and the dislocated limbs represent humanity out of gear, the bleak landscape represents the present period, whereas Millet’s landscape showed fertility.

James Gleeson, 1993

Bibliography (16)

Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia) (Author), Anne Ryan (Australia) (Author), James Gleeson: drawings for paintings, Domain, 2003, 11, 13, 14, 24, 38 (colour illus.).

In our own image: the story of Australian art 2002, 2002, 135 (colour illus.), 137.

Andrew Sayers (Australia, b.1957) (Author), Australian art, Oxford, 2001, 156, 157 (illus.). plate no. 87

John McDonald (Australia, b.1961) (Author), Federation: Australian art and society 1901-2001, Canberra, 2000, 139 (colour illus.), 257.

Lou Klepac (Australia; Croatia, b.1936) (Author), Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), Bruce James (Australia) (Author), John McDonald (Australia, b.1961) (Author), Peter Pinson (Australia, b.1943) (Author), Gavin Fry (Author), Sasha Grishin AM (Australia) (Author), Deborah Hart (South Africa; United Kingdom; Australia, b.1959) (Author), Australian painters of the twentieth century, Roseville, 2000, 128 (colour illus.), 129, 131.

Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), Australian art: in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Domain, 2000, 204 (colour illus.), 300.

Bruce James (Australia) (Author), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Director), Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, Domain, 1999, 150 (colour illus.).

Deborah Edwards (Australia) (Author), Steven Miller (Australia) (Author), Australian Collection Focus: James Gleeson & Robert Klippel Madame Sophie Sesostoris (a pre-raphaelite satire) 1947-48, Sydney, 1998.

In our own image: the story of Australian art 1995, 1995, 124 (colour illus.).

Annabel Davie (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales Handbook, Domain, 1988, 27.

Editor Unknown (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales picturebook, Domain, 1972, 112 (colour illus.).

Art Gallery of New South Wales Quarterly Apr 1967, Apr 1967, (illus.).

Sydney Ure Smith (Australia, b.1887, d.1949) (Editor), Present day art in Australia, Sydney, 1949, 73 (colour illus.).

Sydney Ure Smith (Australia, b.1887, d.1949) (Editor), Present day art in Australia, Sydney, 1949, 32 (colour illus.). Collection of L.L. Gilbert, Esq.

'"Art" in Callan Park style' by Dulcie Deamer., Truth 02 Jul 1944, 02 Jul 1944, unknown. Review of CAS exhibition.

'Arts Angry Penguins on show' by Colin Simpson., Sun 02 Jul 1944, 02 Jul 1944, unknown. Review of CAS exhibition.

Exhibition history (12)

Contemporary Art Society Sixth Annual Exhibition (1944), Vickery's Galleries, 26 Jun 1944–14 Jul 1944.

Purchases and Acquisitions for 1966, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 1967 -.

Aspects of Australian Figurative Painting 1942-1962: Dreams, Fears and Desires (The 5th Biennale of Sydney), S.H. Ervin Gallery, 11 Apr 1984–17 Jun 1984.

Surrealism: Revolution by Night, National Gallery of Australia, 13 Mar 1993–02 May 1993.

Surrealism: Revolution by Night, Queensland Art Gallery, 21 May 1993–11 Jul 1993.

Surrealism: Revolution by Night, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 30 Jul 1993–19 Sep 1993.

Australian icons: twenty artists from the collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 04 Aug 2000–03 Dec 2000.

Federation: Australian art and society 1901-2001, National Gallery of Australia, 08 Dec 2000–11 Feb 2001.

Beauty and the beast: the art of James Gleeson, War Memorial Art Gallery, University of Sydney, 28 Aug 2002–03 Oct 2002.

James Gleeson: drawings for paintings, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 12 Apr 2003–15 Jun 2003.

James Gleeson: Beyond the screen of sight, Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, 29 Oct 2004–27 Feb 2005.

James Gleeson: Beyond the screen of sight, National Gallery of Australia, 18 Mar 2005–13 Jun 2005.