Williams, Penry (1802-85; Welsh) The Italian Family – Ferry on the River Ninfa 1834 Oil on canvas, 87.3 x 126 cm Purchased by the Commissioners of Fine Arts for Victoria (advice of Charles Eastlake), 1864 National Gallery of Victoria (p.301.10-1) This academic work was painted in Rome, where the artist worked for his entire career, having settled
Whitehead, Frederick (1853-1938; English) Stony Weir Oil on canvas, 51.0 x 76.5 cm Bequest of Alfred Felton, 1904 National Gallery of Victoria (141-2) This directly-observed landscape is typical of Felton’s personal collection. The painter, also known as Fred (thus in NGV 1905), was a close friend of the writer Thomas Hardy, and a fellow devotee of
Weigall, Henry (1829?-1925; English) Dr Charles Perry D.D., first Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne 1875 Oil on canvas, 94.7 x 120.7 cm (sight), framed Presented by subscribers, 1876; transferred to the SLV from the NGV, 1929 (?) State Library of Victoria (H35) Weigall, a successful portraitist, painted this work after Perry returned to England at the end of
Weber, Theodor (1838-1907; English) Fishing boats leaving Boulogne Harbour (c.1875) Oil on canvas, 68.7 x 103 cm Purchased, 1884 National Gallery of Victoria (p.310.3-1) The artist, born in Lepizig, specialized in marine painting. NGV 1905 describes this canvas as purchased in Melbourne. However, the NGV’s current online catalogue indicates that the painting came from London’s French
Weber, Otto (1832-88; German) The First Snow on the Tyrolean Alps (1866) Oil on canvas, 118.5 x 222.7 Purchased, 1868 (advice of Alfred Thomson) National Gallery of Victoria (p.301.9-1) This large, atmospheric canvas, shown in the Paris Salon of 1866, was one of several early NGV purchases featuring cows and other animals (e.g. Baisch Dutch Pastures,
Webb, James (1825-95; English) Gloucester Oil on canvas, 50.8 x 60.7 cm Bequest of Alfred Felton, 1904 National Gallery of Victoria (139-2) This picturesque view and Webb (J.) Lock on the Thames 1885 {1904} NGV [PA] both came from Felton’s own collection. Refs. AR 1904, p.26; NGV 1905, p.82 (III.McArthur Gallery, no.1)
Webb, James (1825-95; English) Lock on the Thames 1885 Oil on canvas, 139.5 x 122.6 cm Bequest of Alfred Felton, 1904 National Gallery of Victoria (140-2) This canvas was chosen by Bernard Hall from Felton’s collection, along with Webb (J.) Gloucester {1904} NGV [PA]. This particular work has the distinct air of a pastiche of/tribute to
Webb, James (1825-95; English) Rotterdam at Sunset 1868 Oil on canvas, 198.0 x 305.0 cm Purchased, 1869 (advice of Alfred Thomson) National Gallery of Victoria (p.302.1-1) This serene, large-scale work by Webb, a marine landscape specialist, was one of the first paintings bought on Thomson’s advice. NGV 1905 notes that there is a smaller painting
Works included in this catalogue Webb (J.) Rotterdam at Sunset 1868 {1869} NGV [PA] Webb (J.) Lock on the Thames 1885 {1904} NGV [PA] Webb (J.) Gloucester {1904} NGV [PA] Webb was a marine landscape specialist and landscape painter; he exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1853 to 1888. Refs. For the artist, see Wood,
Webb, Charles Meer (1830-95; English) Checkmate 1866 Oil on canvas, 55.1 x 68.5 cm Purchased, 1870 National Gallery of Victoria (p.302.9-1) The artist appears to have specialized in such essays in the 17th-18th century Dutch/Flemish manner. NGV 1905 emphasizes that this is a replica (the earlier version of 1864 is in the V&A Museum). Refs. AR
Watts, George Frederic (1817-1904; English) Love and Death (c.1887) Oil on canvas, 114.3 x 57.3 cm Purchased, 1888 National Gallery of Victoria (p.312.5-1) One of several variants by Watts of this classic late Victorian subject (there is also a late example in the AGSA), this canvas was bought from the Centennial Exhibition in Melbourne in
Watts, George Frederic (1817-1904; English) Alfred Tennyson (1858) Oil on wood panel, 61.0 x 50.4 cm Purchased, 1888 National Gallery of Victoria (p.312.9-1) This work was bought from the Centennial Exhibition staged in Melbourne in 1888, together with Watts Love and Death {1888} NGV [PA]. The famous Victorian poet (1809-92), a friend of the painter,
Works included in this catalogue Watts Alfred Tennyson {1888} NGV [PA] Watts Love and Death {1888} NGV [PA] An arch-Victorian, Watts produced numerous variants of Love and Death and other allegorical compositions during a long career. His Tennyson portrait, dating from about 1858, is one of a large group of depictions of famous contemporaries, many of
Waterhouse, John William (1849-1917; English) Ulysses and the Sirens 1891 Oil on canvas, 100.6 x 202.0 cm Purchased, 1891 (advice of Hubert von Herkomer) National Gallery of Victoria (p.396.3-1) Herkomer’s recommendation of this work (quoted at length in NGV 1894) included enthusiastic comment on its vivid depiction of the episode in Homer’s Odyssey, meticulous research
Ward, James (1769-1859; English) Sheep Oil on wood panel, 21.5 x 30.1 cm Purchased, 1903 (advice of Bernard Hall) National Gallery of Victoria (133-2) Yet another pre-Felton image of sheep or cattle, this small panel was bought from the local sale of works formerly owned by Melbourne solicitor William Lynch (from whose collection several works were
Ward, Edward Matthew (1816-79; English) Josephine signing the Act of her Divorce 1853 Oil on canvas, 133.6 x 167.6 cm Purchased, 1888 National Gallery of Victoria (p.313.1-1) “This picture represents an event which took place in the Grand Cabinet of the Emperor Napoleon at the Tuileries on the evening of the 16th December, 1809” (NGV 1894).
Walton, Frank (1840-1928; English) ‘Summer has gone on swallows’ wings’ (c.1890) Oil on canvas, 152.7 x 121.8 cm Purchased, 1892 National Gallery of Victoria (p.398.2-1) The 1894 NGV catalogue indicates that this landscape was shown at the Royal Academy in 1891, and notes that the artist was a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water-Colours.
Waller, Samuel Edmund (1850-1903; English) Jealous 1875 Oil on canvas, 49.3 x 64.2 cm Purchased, 1875 (advice of Archibald Michie and Charles Gavan Duffy) National Gallery of Victoria (p.305.2-1) Like Schenck Anguish {1879} NGV [PA] and Rivière Deer Stealers 1875 {1876} NGV [PA] – but in a lighter vein – this painting correlates animal and human emotions. The painting
Walker, Frederick (1840-75; English) The Right of Way (1875) Oil on canvas, 78.5 x 112.0 cm Purchased, 1891 (advice of Hubert von Herkomer) National Gallery of Victoria (p.395.3-1) A widely-praised social realist painter and illustrator, Walker died of tuberculosis at the age of only 35. This charming painting, one of his last (it is unfinished), was praised
Works included in this catalogue Waite Coaxing Ways {1895} NGV [PA] Waite Abram Louis Buvelot 1894 {1896} NGV [PA] After an earlier career as a genre and landscape painter in England, Waite migrated to Melbourne in 1886, and established himself as a portraitist. He was a foundation member of the Victorian Artists’ Society (1888), and
Waite, James Clarke (1832-1920; English) Abram Louis Buvelot 1894 Oil on canvas, 76.3 x 63.8 cm Presented by Waite, 1896 National Gallery of Victoria (24-2) A posthumous image of the so-called “father of Australian Impressionism,” who died at the age of 74 in 1888 (see linked entry on Buvelot for further details). Refs. AR 1896,
Waite, James Clarke (1832-1920; English/Australian) Coaxing Ways Oil on canvas, 60.8 x 50.9 cm Purchased, 1895 National Gallery of Victoria (16-2) Together with other works (see e.g. Withers Tranquil Winter 1895 {1895} NGV [PA]), this modest canvas was bought from the Victorian Artists’ Society, of which Waite was a foundation member. Refs. AR 1895, p.25; NGV
Guérard, Eugène von (1811-1901; Austrian/ Australian) Spring in the valley of the Mitta Mitta with the Bogong Ranges 1866 Oil on canvas, 68.3 x 106.7 cm Presented by Archibald Michie, 1866 National Gallery of Victoria (p.300.14-1) This work, the earliest of von Guérard’s works acquired for Melbourne, was donated together with Gritten View on Jackson’s
Guérard, Eugène von (1811-1901; Austrian/Australian) Mount Kosciusko, seen from the Victorian border (Mount Hope Ranges) 1866 Oil on canvas, 108.2 x 153.3 cm Purchased, 1870 National Gallery of Victoria (p.302.13-1) Like the artist’s well-known view from the summit of Mt Kosciuszko (NGA, Canberra, 1863), the present canvas was based on sketches he made during an arduous
Vibert, Jehan Georges (1840-1902; French) French Artists in a Spanish Posada (The Siesta) 1862 Oil on canvas, 73.4 x 99.4 cm Purchased, 1864 (advice of Sir Charles Eastlake) National Gallery of Victoria (p.301.8-1) This youthful work, with which Vibert debuted at the Paris Salon in 1863, helped make his name. It was one of the
Unterberger, Franz Richard (1838-1902; Austrian) The Gulf of Salerno Oil on canvas, c.114.34 x 101.6 cm Purchased, 1875; de-accessioned and sold at auction, 1950 Unidentified; present location unknown Based in Brussels, Unterberger exhibited throughout Europe and in America. By the 1870s, he was specializing mainly in picturesque Italian views peopled by stock Mediterranean types. This
Turner, J.M.W. (1775-1851; English) Dunstanborough Castle, North-East Coast of Northumberland, Sunrise after a Squally Night (1798) Oil on canvas, 92.2 x 123.2 cm Gift of the Duke of Westminster 1888 National Gallery of Victoria (313.3/1) This early canvas was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1798, when Turner was only 23. Evelyn Joll suggests that it may be
Tucker, Tudor St George (1862-1906; English/Australian) Maid of all work (c.1891) Oil on canvas, 125.4 x 76.0 cm Purchased, 1900 (advice of Bernard Hall) National Gallery of Victoria (62-2) Tucker, a talented artist, was a somewhat underestimated contributor to the development of Australian painting in the late 19th century. He migrated to Australia, for his health, in 1881,
Tschaggeny, Edmond Jean Baptiste (1818-73; Belgian) Sheep in repose 1864 Oil on canvas, 75 x 110 cm Purchased by the Commissioners of Fine Arts for Victoria, 1864 (advice of Sir Charles Eastlake) National Gallery of Victoria (p.301.6-1) One of the initial selections made by Eastlake, this painting was praised in The Australasian in 1864 for its
Toovey, Edwin (1835-1900; British) Flamborough Head Oil on canvas, c.90 x 152 cm Purchased, 1875; de-accessioned and sold at auction, 1950 Unidentified, present location unknown The 1894 catalogue lists this work as hanging in the McArthur Gallery, and provides some information on the subject, described as a spectacular section of the Yorkshire coastline. Information on the