Dora Lynnell Wilson (31 August 1883 – 21 November 1946) was a British-born Australian artist, best known in her adopted country of Australia for her etchings and street scenes.

Early life

Dora Lynnell Wilson was born on 31 August 1883 in

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

, England. Her parents were James Wilson, agent, and Annie Maria, née Green. The family emigrated to the state of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

in Australia in 1884, when Dora was a year old.

Education

Wilson was educated at Somerset School and Methodist Ladies' College in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. From 1901–1906 she studied at the

National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director ...

under Bernard Hall and

Frederick McCubbin Frederick McCubbin (25 February 1855 – 20 December 1917) was an Australian artist, art teacher and prominent member of the Heidelberg School art movement, also known as Australian impressionism. Born and raised in Melbourne, Victoria, McCubb ...

, forming friendships with fellow artists Ruth Hollick, Gwendolyn Grant, Norah Gurdon, and her partner Pegg Clarke. She also took lessons from John Mather with Jessie Traill and Janie Wilkinson Whyte.

Artistic career

Wilson was best known for her etchings, pastels and oils of still lifes and nudes. Her work was praised for her 'strong sense of colour' but also critiqued for demonstrating a 'chocolate box prettiness'. Her work was included in a number of notable exhibitions, including the Australian Exhibition of Women's Work in Melbourne, a Royal Academy exhibition of Australian art in London. In 1923 her work, 'Reve d'Or', was reproduced on the cover of ''Women's World'' and exhibited at the

Société des Artistes Français The Société des Artistes Français (, meaning "Society of French Artists") is the association of French painters and sculptors established in 1881. Its annual exhibition is called the "Salon des artistes français" (not to be confused with the ...

in Paris. Her studio at Collins Street West was the meeting place of ex–Gallery School students who exhibited in 1913–14 as 'The Twelve Melbourne Painters.' This group included Jessie Traill,

Janet Cumbrae Stewart Janet Agnes Cumbrae Stewart (23 December 1883 – 8 September 1960) was an Australian painter. She spent the 1920s and 1930s painting in Britain, France and Italy. Biography Cumbrae Stewart was born on 23 December 1883 in Brighton, Victoria, A ...

, Norah Gurdon,

Penleigh Boyd Theodore Penleigh Boyd (15 August 1890 – 27 November 1923) was a British born Australian artist. Penleigh Boyd was a member of the Boyd artistic dynasty: his parents Arthur Merric Boyd (1862–1940) and Emma Minnie Boyd (née à Beckett) ...

, and

Lindsay Bernard Hall Lindsay Bernard Hall (28 December 1859 – 14 February 1935) was an English-born Australian artist, teacher and art gallery director. Early life and career Hall was born at Garston, Liverpool, England, the son of a broker of the same famil ...

. Wilson was also a member of the

Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors The Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors, established in Melbourne, Victoria in 1902, is the oldest surviving women's art group in Australia. History The Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors (MSWPS) began in 1902 as ...

. From the 1920s onwards she concentrated largely on street scenes, and in 1923 she was commissioned by Sir Baldwin Spencer to undertake a series of paintings of European landmarks, which saw her travelling around Europe for over two years, accompanied by the photographer Pegg Clarke. In 1928 these works were exhibited at the

Beaux Arts Gallery Beaux Arts Gallery was a gallery at 1 Bruton Place, London, England. It was known as a preeminent center for promoting avant-garde art until its closure in 1965. Founded and operated by portrait sculptor Frederick Lessore in 1923, the gallery wa ...

, London, and the following year at

Australia House The High Commission of Australia in London is the diplomatic mission of Australia in the United Kingdom. It is located in Australia House, a Grade II listed building. It was Australia's first diplomatic mission and is the longest continuously ...

. In the early 1930s she focused on historical scenes from Melbourne's history, with an exhibition entitled 'Milestones of Melbourne' held at the Fine Art Society Gallery in March 1935. Her work was received favorably by

Arthur Streeton Sir Arthur Ernest Streeton (8 April 1867 – 1 September 1943) was an Australian landscape painter and a leading member of the Heidelberg School, also known as Australian Impressionism. Early life Streeton was born in Mt Moriac, Victoria, sou ...

for being "fresh in colour and treatment and free from the depressing appearance of black paint." In 1937 she joined and exhibited with Robert Menzies'

Australian Academy of Art The Australian Academy of Art was a conservative Australian government-authorised art organisation which operated for ten years between 1937 and 1946 and staged annual exhibitions. Its demise resulted from opposition by Modernist artists, especiall ...

. State Library Victoria"> File:Dora L Wilson - Exterior view of single story house with steep gabled roof.jpg,
Exterior view of single story house with steep gabled roof
', '' etween 1900 and 1910' File:Dora Wilson - Unidentified light house on a cliff.jpg,
Unidentified light house on a cliff
', '' etween 1900 and 1910' File:Dora Wilson - Ships at anchor.jpg,
Ships at anchor
', '' etween 1900 and 1910'

Death

Wilson died of cancer on 21 November 1946 and was cremated at Springvale Cemetery,

. She made a bequest to the National Gallery trustees in the amount of £1100 as it was her wish to help Australian artists to travel abroad.

Exhibitions

* 1943, from 1 December; Inclusion in a group show of ninety-one paintings and etchings with

Arnold Shore Arnold Joseph Victor Shore (5 May 1897, Windsor, – 22 May 1963, Melbourne) was an Australian painter, teacher and critic. Biography Shore was the youngest of seven children of John Shore, a coachsmith, and his wife Harriett Sarah, née McDon ...

Max Meldrum Duncan Max Meldrum (3 December 1875 – 6 June 1955) was a Scottish-born Australian artist and art teacher, best known as the founder of Australian tonalism, a representational painting style that became popular in Melbourne during the interwa ...

, John Rowell, Jas. Quinn, John Farmer, Mary Hurry, Dora Serle, Margaret Pestell,

Allan Jordan Allan Holder Jordan (1898-1982) was an Australian painter, designer, printmaker and teacher. Early life Allan Jordon was born in 1898 in Elsternwick, the son of Sandhurst-born customs agent James Olver Jordan and Maud Ethel (née Alleyne) who m ...

, Isabel Tweddle,

Aileen Dent Aileen Rose Dent (1890 – 30 March 1978) was an Australian artist known for her portraits, specifically her portrait of Australian aviator Jean Burns. Biography Dent was born in 1890 in Deniliquin, New South Wales. From 1909 to 1916 she was ...

Murray Griffin Vaughan Murray Griffin (11 Nov 1903 – 29 January 1992) was an Australian print maker and painter. Life and work Commonly known as Murray Griffin, he was born in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern to Vaughan and Ethel Griffin. He spent most of h ...

, Geo. Colville, and Victor Cog.

Hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...

Library.

References