Title

Portrait in the mirror

1948

Artist

Margaret Olley

Australia

24 Jun 1923 – 25 Jul 2011

Artist profile

Alternate image of Portrait in the mirror by Margaret Olley

Details

Place where the work was made

Australia

Date

1948

Media category

Painting

Materials used

oil on cardboard

Dimensions

56.3 x 72.0 cm board; 68.3 x 84.8 x 7.0 cm frame

Signature & date

Signed and dated l.r.corner, brown oil "OLLEY .48".

Credit

Gift of the artist 2001

Location

None

Accession number

454.2001

Copyright

© Margaret Olley Art Trust
Reproduction requests

Artist information

Margaret Olley
Artist profile

Works in the collection

16

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About

In this early self-portrait, Margaret Olley surrounds herself with the things that would preoccupy her throughout her career: the fruits, flowers and exotic objects that she collected about her at home. Her tribute to past great masters of art, seen in the array of postcard reproductions, would also become a frequent feature of her work.

This painting marked an important time for Olley as a young artist commencing her career. She held her first solo exhibition at Sydney’s Macquarie Galleries, from which the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the National Gallery of Victoria both purchased works. The following year, after attracting attention as the subject of William Dobell’s Archibald Prize-winning portrait, she departed for Europe to explore the international art scene.
Places

Where the work was made

Australia
Exhibition history
Shown in 16 exhibitions
- Margaret Olley (1948):
  - Macquarie Galleries, Sydney 30 Jun 1948–12 Jul 1948
- Margaret Olley (1948):
  - The Moreton Galleries, Brisbane 18 Oct 1948–23 Oct 1948
- Justin O'Brien and friends: a birthday celebration (1987), S.H. Ervin Gallery, The Rocks, 06 Aug 1987–30 Aug 1987
- The art of Margaret Olley (1990):
  - S.H. Ervin Gallery, The Rocks 03 Aug 1990–09 Sep 1990
  - Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane 15 Sep 1990–07 Oct 1990
  - Lismore Regional Gallery, Lismore 13 Oct 1990–17 Nov 1990
- Margaret Olley Retrospective (1996-97):
  - Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney 25 Oct 1996–05 Jan 1997
  - Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane 17 Jan 1997–23 Feb 1997
  - Newcastle Art Gallery, Newcastle 19 Apr 1997–08 Jun 1997
- Parallel Visions: Twenty-two artists from the Australian collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 22 Feb 2002–May 2003
- Margaret Olley: Celebrating Life (2003), Queensland Art Gallery, South Brisbane, 08 Mar 2003–06 Jul 2003
- To look within: Self portraits in Australia:
  - University of Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane 16 Apr 2004–20 Jun 2004
  - National Portrait Gallery [Old Parliament House], Canberra 09 Jul 2004–19 Sep 2004
- Margaret Olley and Donald Friend (2006):
  - Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Mornington 09 Nov 2005–15 Jan 2006
  - S.H. Ervin Gallery, The Rocks 21 Jan 2006–19 Mar 2006
  - Dell Gallery, South Bank 22 Apr 2006–28 May 2006
- Breaking new ground: Brisbane women artists of the mid-twentieth century, Queensland University of Technology Art Museum, Brisbane, 27 Jul 2007–30 Sep 2007
- Australian modern masterpieces from the Art Gallery of New South Wales:
  - Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat 05 Oct 2011–27 Nov 2011
  - Newcastle Art Gallery, Newcastle 10 Dec 2011–04 Mar 2012
- Margaret Olley - painter, peer, mentor, muse, S.H. Ervin Gallery, The Rocks, 07 Jan 2017–26 Mar 2017
- Portraits: Margaret Olley, Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, Murwillumbah, 12 May 2017–10 Sep 2017
- Margaret Olley: a generous life, Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, 15 Jun 2019–13 Oct 2019
- Margaret's Gifts, S.H. Ervin Gallery, The Rocks, 04 Jan 2020–22 Mar 2020
- Archie Plus, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 26 Sep 2020–07 Mar 2021
Bibliography
Referenced in 19 publications
- Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of New South Wales Annual Report 2002, 'Year in review', pg. 8-25, Sydney, 2002, 8.
- Glenn R. Cooke, The world of Antiques & Art, 'Margaret Olley: a tribute for her 80th year', pg. 24-34, Bondi Junction, Feb 2003-Jul 2003, 24 (colour illus.), 32.
- Christine France, Margaret Olley, Sydney, 1990, 17, 64, 65 (colour illus.), 178. plate no. 2
- Christine France, Parallel visions: works from the Australian collection, 'Donald Friend / Margaret Olley', pg. 128-139, Sydney, 2002, 19, 128, 134 (colour illus.), 135 (colour illus., detail), 145, 147.
- Janet Hawley., Good weekend, 'Queen of subjects', Broadway, 25 Mar 1995, 35 (colour illus.), 36.
- Lenny Ann Low, The Sydney Morning Herald, 'It's artless: Olsen and Olley hold back donations after tax decree', pg. 8, Sydney, 25 Sep 2002, 8 (illus.).
- Louise Martin-Chew, Art and Australia (Vol. 44, No. 1), 'Margaret Olley and Donald Friend', pg. 114, Sydney, Sep 2006-Nov 2006, 114 (colour illus.). Review of Margaret Olley and Donald Friend exhibition.
- John McDonald., The Sydney Morning Herald, 'Overdue tribute to an icon of integrity', Sydney, 25 Aug 1990, page unknown.
- Barry Pearce, Look, 'Eulogy for Margaret Olley: given by Barry Pearce on July 29, 2011', pg. 12-14, Sydney, Oct 2011, 13 (colour illus.).
- Barry Pearce, Margaret Olley, Sydney, 1996, cover (colour illus.), 6 (colour illus.), 17, 116. plate no. 1
- Renée Porter, Margaret Olley: painter, peer, mentor, muse, 'Margaret Olley: a celebration of life in paint', pg. 8-36, The Rocks, 2017, 52, 53 (colour illus.), 112.
- Stephen Rainbird, Breaking new ground: Brisbane women artists of the mid twentieth century, Brisbane, 2007, 33, 35 (colour illus.), 69.
- Andrew Sayers, To look within: self portraits in Australia, 'The artist's self-portrait in Australia', pg. 6-33, Brisbane, 2004, 39 (colour illus.).
- Lisa Slade and Rachael Kirsten, Enter Art, Sydney, 2000, sheet number 13 (colour illus.). Education kit produced by the NSW Dept of Education and Training as teaching resource for primary school teachers.
- Susannah Smith, Look, 'Anatomy of an artwork', pg. 26-27, Sydney, May 2019-Jun 2019, 26 (colour ullus.).
- Meg Stewart, Margaret Olley: far from a still life, Milsons Point, 2005, 186, 196, 479, 505.
- Jill Sykes (Editor), Look, Sydney, Nov 2005, 43 (colour illus.).
- Jane Watters, Reflections: the National Trust Quarterly, 'Margaret Olley & Donald Friend', pg. 22-24, Sydney, Feb 2006-Apr 2006, 22 (colour illus.).
- Editor Unknown (Editor), The Sydney Morning Herald, 'Massive forms in Margaret Olley pictures', Sydney, 30 Jun 1948, page unknown. Review of Macquarie Gallery exhibition.