Robert Campbell (1902–1972) was director of the Art Gallery of South Australia, the first director of the

Queensland Art Gallery The Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) is an art museum located in South Bank, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The gallery is part of QAGOMA. It complements the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) building, situated only away. The Queensland Art Galler ...

and also a painter in his own right. In 1955 a portrait of him by painter

Ivor Hele Sir Ivor Henry Thomas Hele, CBE (13 June 1912 – 1 December 1993) was an Australian artist noted for portraiture. He was Australia's longest serving war artist and completed more commissioned works than any other in the history of Austr ...

won the

Archibald Prize The Archibald Prize is an Australian portraiture art prize for painting, generally seen as the most prestigious portrait prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after the receipt of a bequest from J. F. Archibald, J. F. Archib ...

. The first painting acquired by the QAG in 1896 was ''Evicted'', by the British painter Blandford Fletcher. Although it was the gallery's most popular picture, it was controversially retired from public display in 1949 by Campbell, who was the newly-appointed director, and who declared that it was only popular "because it had a sentimental touch". In May 1955, while director of the AGSA, he considered it was important to establish an Aboriginal art collection, which extended beyond the anthropological objects held by the museum. He also wrote a book on

Tom Roberts Thomas William Roberts (8 March 185614 September 1931) was an English-born Australian artist and a key member of the Heidelberg School art movement, also known as Australian impressionism. After studying in Melbourne, he travelled to Europe ...

. His wife Elizabeth wrote on art as "Elizabeth Young" for newspapers for New South Wales and Queensland, and in 1952 succeeded H. E. Fuller as art critic for Adelaide's ''

Advertiser Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

''.

References

External links

Art Gallery of South AustraliaShort history of the Queensland Art GalleryJ S Battye Library of West Australian History Private Archives – Collection Listing (pdf)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, Robert Australian artists 1902 births 1972 deaths Curators from Edinburgh People educated at George Watson's College Australian art gallery directors Scottish emigrants to Australia