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Title
Island
(1947)
About
This bold composition, in which an isolated male figure has been placed in the dead centre of an empty seascape fringed with soft hills set against a pale violet sky is one of Nolan's most haunting images of the late 1940s. It is based on his visit to Fraser Island in North Queensland, which he visited in 1947, partly to investigate the accidental death of his brother Ray in Cooktown two years earlier.
Nolan read about the story of the shipwrecked Englishwoman Eliza Fraser, who became stranded amongst local Aborigines and was rescued by escaped convict David Bracewell, and painted a series pertaining to the narrative. The figure could represent Bracewell, Nolan himself, or perhaps the ghost of the artist's brother. However, the abiding existential mood of this remarkable work transcends local legend, lifting it into the realm of metaphor about the fundamental condition of individual humanity.
Australian Art Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2001
Details
Other Title
Fraser Island
Date
(1947)
Materials used
Ripolin enamel on hardboard
Dimensions
77.0 x 105.0 cm board; 85.2 x 113.2 x 2.2 cm frame
Signature & date
Signed l.r. corner, white synthetic polymer paint "N". Not dated.
Credit
Purchased with funds provided by the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales 2001
Accession number
8.2001
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Sidney Nolan
Island
Shown in 6 exhibitions
Exhibition history
Sidney Nolan (1948), The Moreton Galleries, Brisbane, 17 Feb 1948–28 Feb 1948
Sidney Nolan: landscapes and legends a retrospective exhibition 1937 - 1987:
- National Gallery of Victoria [St Kilda Road], Melbourne 03 Jun 1987–26 Jul 1987
- Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney 11 Aug 1987–27 Sep 1987
- Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth 21 Oct 1987–29 Nov 1987
- Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide 15 Dec 1987–31 Jan 1988
Nolan's Fraser:
- Noosa Regional Gallery, Queensland 14 Aug 1989–06 Sep 1989
- Gladstone Regional Art Gallery, Gladstone 12 Sep 1989–30 Sep 1989
- Rockhampton Art Gallery, Rockhampton 05 Oct 1989–29 Oct 1989
- Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville 23 Nov 1989–17 Dec 1989
Sir Sidney Nolan: a retrospective celebrating his 75th birthday (1992), The Terrace Gallery, Harewood, 19 Jul 1992–31 Oct 1992
Nolan's Nolans: a reputation reassessed, Agnew's, London, London, 11 Jun 1997–25 Jul 1997
Sidney Nolan (2007-2008):
- Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney 03 Nov 2007–03 Feb 2008
- Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne 22 Feb 2008–18 May 2008
- Queensland Art Gallery, South Brisbane 06 Jun 2008–31 Aug 2008
Referenced in 22 publications
Bibliography
Giles Auty, Sidney Nolan, 'Esstential Nolan', pg. 13, Brisbane, 1948, 13. NOTE: Review of 'Nolan: A Reputation Reassessed'.
Robyn Bondfield., Nolan's Fraser, 'Nolan's Fraser', South Brisbane, 1989, (colour illus.).
Bruce James, The Sydney Morning Herald, 'Pick of the crop for wily Capon: Gallery acquisitions analysis', pg. 16, Sydney, 12 Apr 2001, 16.
Merlin James, The Burlington Magazine, 'Review: Sidney Nolan, London', pg. 644-646, London, Sep 1997, 645.
Barry Pearce, Sidney Nolan, 'Nolan's Parallel Universe', pg. 17-65, Sydney, 2007, 34 (colour illus.), 62, 63, 233. cat.no. 44; titled 'Frazer Island'
Barry Pearce, Look: 1953-2003 celebrating 50 years, 'Presenting our own artists: how the AGS put balance into the Australian collection', pg. 42-44, Sydney, May 2003, 43-44.
Sebastian Smee'., The Australian, 'Gallery makes room for foundation's gift of Nolans', Sydney, 21 Dec 2004.
Joyce Stirling., Brisbane Telegraph, 'I'm not so artful', Brisbane, 17 Feb 1948, page unknown.
Bronwyn Watson., Look, 'Nolan boost', Melbourne, Jun 2001, 18 (colour illus.), 19.
Sir Kenneth Clark, Unknown and Unknown, Sidney Nolan, London, 1961, 21, 22. NOTE: General early Australian history
Editor Unknown, The Courier Mail, 'Little appeal in primitives', Brisbane, 18 Feb 1948, page unknown. NOTE: Review of Moreton Galleries exhibition by Elizabeth Webb; see Curator's files
Unknown, Sidney Nolan, Brisbane, 1948. cat.no. 8; titled 'Island'; not paginated
Editor Unknown (Editor), The Home annual: Australian life and scenery, Sydney, Oct 1935.
Unknown, Sir Sidney Nolan: a retrospective celebrating his 75th birthday, Harewood, 1992, 6.
Jill Sykes (Editor), Look, 'Doing justice to Nolan', pg. 8, Sydney, Mar 2005, 8 (colour illus.). NOTE: Reproduction shows Judith White, executive director of the Society, in front of the work.
T.G. Rosenthal, Sidney Nolan, 'Mrs Fraser', pg. 100-111, London, 2002, 104-105, 106 (colour illus.), 108.
Jill Sykes (Editor), Look, 'Important purchases: what the Society and Contempo bought for the Gallery in 2001', pg. 16-17, Melbourne, Dec 2001-Jan 2002, 16, 17 (colour illus.).
Art Gallery of New South Wales annual report 2001 [for the year ended 30 June, 2001], Sydney, 2001, 8, 13 (colour illus.), 24, 26.
Unknown, Nolan's Nolans: a reputation reassessed, London, 1997, (colour illus.). cat.no. 33; price £90,000
Jill Sykes (Editor), Look, Sydney, Oct 2007, 11. NOTE: Society President, Michael Feneley referencing the Nolan exhibition.
Jane Clark, Sidney Nolan - landscapes and legends: a retrospective exhibition 1937 - 1987, 'Travelling north', pg. 89-90, Sydney, 1987, 91, 92 (colour illus.). NOTE: catalogue entry on page 91
Unknown, Sidney Nolan: such is life, Melbourne, 1987, 95 (illus.), 96.