Louis Frederick McCubbin (18 March 1890 – 6 December 1952), only ever known as "Louis McCubbin", was an Australian war artist, landscape painter and art gallery director.

History

McCubbin was born in Auburn, Victoria, the eldest son of Annie and Frederick McCubbin, who named him Louis as a tribute to his friend and patron Louis Abrahams. He was educated privately and studied at the

National Gallery of Victoria Art School The National Gallery of Victoria Art School, associated with the National Gallery of Victoria, was a private fine arts college founded in 1867 and was Australia's leading art school of 50 years. It is also referred to as the 'National Gallery ...

1906–1911. He enlisted for service in the AIF in May 1916, and in May 1918, while a private serving in France, was attached to the War Records Section as an AIF war artist and promoted to lieutenant. He was appointed lieutenant, 3rd Military District, in 1920. He painted backgrounds for the battle scene

diorama A diorama is a replica of a scene, typically a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum. Dioramas are often built by hobbyists as part of related hobbies such as military vehicle mode ...

s (some dioramas had figures sculpted by C. Web Gilbert, others by W. Leslie Bowles) for the

Australian War Memorial The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia and some conflicts involving pe ...

, Canberra, a task that took nine years to complete. In the 1930s he shared, with Will Rowell, a roomy studio in

Grosvenor Chambers Grosvenor Chambers, at number 9 Collins Street, Melbourne, contained the first custom-built complex of artists' studios in Australia. The construction costs were almost £6,000 and the building opened in April 1888. The owner was Charles Stewar ...

on Collins Street, a building with a long history of artist tenants. He made a series of paintings depicting the Great Barrier Reef for the Australian National Travel Association. He taught drawing at

Swinburne Technical College Swinburne University of Technology (often simply called Swinburne) is a public research university based in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1908 as the Eastern Suburbs Technical College by George Swinburne to serve those without access ...

in 1935, then in 1936 was appointed director of the

Art Gallery of South Australia The Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), established as the National Gallery of South Australia in 1881, is located in Adelaide. It is the most significant visual arts museum in the Australian state of South Australia. It has a collection of ...

in Adelaide, and became a member of the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board, along with directors of the Melbourne and Sydney galleries, plus G. V. F. Mann,

Will Ashton Sir John William Ashton, OBE, ROI (20 September 1881 – 1 September 1963) was a prolific Australian Impressionist artist and director of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales from 1937 to 1943. Early life Ashton was born in Clifton, ...

and Harold Herbert. He served during World War II as deputy director of camouflage for South Australia. He resigned the Adelaide post in 1950 due to poor health. His influence on that gallery was recognised as highly beneficial. His last years were spent at the home of a relative, Hugh McCubbin, of Punt Road, South Yarra. He died at the

Royal Melbourne Hospital The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH), located in Parkville, Victoria, an inner suburb of Melbourne, is one of Australia's leading public hospitals. It is a major teaching hospital for tertiary health care with a reputation in clinical research. Th ...

and his remains cremated at the Spring Vale Crematorium.

Personal

McCubbin married Stella Elsie Mary Jackson (died 1939), née Abraham, widow of Eric Speers Jackson, on 27 April 1936. They had no children. McCubbin was uncle to Charles McCubbin (born 1930), painter and naturalist, who crossed the Simpson Desert with

Warren Bonython Charles Warren Bonython, AO (11 September 1916 – 2 April 2012) was an Australian conservationist, explorer, author, and chemical engineer. A keen bushwalker, he is perhaps best known for his role, spanning many years, of working towards ...

in July–August 1973, and was author of ''Butterflies of Australia'', pub. 1971.

Memberships and recognition

*He won the 1917 A.N.A. Landscape prize for his "The Hanover Mire". *Member Art Committee of the Australian War Memorial *President of Victorian Art Society 1933–1935 *Member of the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board *He was awarded the

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in the New Year's Honours list of 1947. Examples of his work are held by all State and many Regional galleries.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McCubbin, Louis 1890 births 1952 deaths Australian war artists Australian landscape painters Australian art gallery directors Australian Officers of the Order of the British Empire