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Details
- Date
- 1937
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 122.0 x 91.5 cm stretcher; 141.7 x 111.2 x 10.0 cm frame
- Signature & date
Signed and dated l.l. corner, dark brown oil "ABBOTT '37".
- Credit
- Gift of Elinor and Fred Wrobel 1976
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 206.1976
- Copyright
- © Estate of Harold Abbott
- Archibald Prize
- - 1937
- Artist information
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Harold Abbott
Works in the collection
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About
This portrait of Miss Jeanie Ranken was runner up in the 1937 Archibald Prize, receiving the following praise from the Sydney Morning Herald art critic:
"... one of the younger artists has increased his scope and provided an impressive work. This is Harold Abott's portrait of Miss Jeanie Ranken. The general effect is discriminating, not to say highly discreet. The figure has been displayed as an element in a piece of flat decoration. A parallel with well-known portraits by Whistler is unavoidable. But Mr Abbott's sense of colour is definitely his own. He uses his colours tenderly, yet with a keen sense of accent. The characteristic mien and appearance of the sitter, too, have been calmly and surely conveyed."
Visible on the wall behind the sitter is a small self portrait sketch of the artist painted in 1932 while Abbott was a student at the Royal Academy Schools, London. This self portrait is now in the collection of the National Gallery of Australia.
Miss Ranken was a Sydney journalist. In 1939 she was awarded The Order of the British Empire - Member (Civil).
© Australian Art Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2005
This work was a finalist in the 1937 Archibald Prize and was acquired by the Gallery in 1976.
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Exhibition history
Shown in 5 exhibitions
Wynne Art Prize, 1937, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 25 Feb 1938–Mar 1938
Australian Academy of Art 1938, Vickery's Galleries, Sydney, 08 Apr 1938–29 Apr 1938
Exhibition of paintings and drawings by Harold Abbott (1938), Macquarie Galleries, Sydney, 09 Nov 1938–21 Nov 1938
Counterclaims: presenting Australian art 1938-1941, S.H. Ervin Gallery, The Rocks, 17 May 1986–06 Jul 1986
Harold Abbott 1906-1986, Newcastle Art Gallery, Newcastle, 02 Oct 1987–01 Nov 1987
Harold Abbott 1906-1986, Wollongong Art Gallery, Wollongong, 06 Dec 1987–26 Jan 1988
Harold Abbott 1906-1986, S.H. Ervin Gallery, The Rocks, 04 Feb 1988–28 Feb 1988
Harold Abbott 1906-1986, New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale, 03 Jun 1988–30 Aug 1988
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Bibliography
Referenced in 6 publications
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Christine Dixon and Dinah Dysart, Counterclaims: presenting Australian art 1938-1941, Sydney, 1986, 44 (illus.). cat.no. AAA1
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Macquarie Galleries, Exhibition of paintings and drawings by Harold Abbott, Sydney, 1938. cat.no. 10; titled 'Miss Jeanie Ranken'; price: 75 Guineas
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Kenneth Wilkinson (Editor), Art in Australia [series 3, no. 71], Sydney, May 1938, 37 (illus.).
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Elinor Wrobel, Harold Abbott 1906-1986: New England Regional Art Museum touring exhibition 1987-1988, Armidale, 1987, 6, 15. cat.no. 8
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Australian Academy of Art 1938, Sydney, 1938, 22. cat.no. 184; titled 'Portrait of Miss Jeanie Ranken'
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Editor Unknown (Editor), The Sydney morning herald, 'Archibald Prize winner: Normand H. Baker. Wynne Prize to Gruner', Sydney, 25 Feb 1938. Review of the Archibald and Wynne Prizes for 1937.
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