Dec 10
12
Norman Lindsay was a Controversial But Electrifying Artist
Norman Lindsay’s entire name was Norman Alfred William Lindsay, he was born on February 22nd, 1879 in Creswick, Victoria and little did he realise that his natural talent and creative capabilities would soon after help make him Australia’s best acknowledged and loved artist. His mother and father were Jane Elizabeth Lindsay and Robert Charles William Alexander Lindsay. He had a total of ten siblings including 4 sisters and five brothers that included Percy and Lionel, also successful artists in their own right. His recognition as a painter has stood the trial of time and well into the twenty-first Century his art pieces are keenly searched after by both Australian and International art lovers alike. He utilized his ability as an artist to express his social ideas that would often generate intense debate and discussion with the broader community. Lindsay was a person with a lot of artist abilities in addition to being hugely successful as an oil painter, water-colourist, etcher, pencil drawer, cartoonist and sculptor.
Lindsay produced a large quantity of artworks in various media consisting of oils, watercolours, etchings and pencils. Norman wrote kid’s stories and is best known for his story The Magic Pudding which is actually still printed at present. Yet certainly not all of his writings achieved favorable recognition, his publication called ‘Redheap’ ended up being forbidden due to its questionable subject material. One of his most well documented early on occupations was as an illustrator for the Bulletin. At the Bulletin newspaper the Red Menace as well as the Yellow Peril were exceptionally famous subjects in his illustrations, providing the political viewpoint of the paper and his own political view which was considered racist and right winged politics. His political view was frequently shown in his artwork. Of course Lindsay is also acknowledged as having a taste for the erotic for example voluptuos unclothed models. Norman Lindsay was recognised to be usually working on one project or another, it is of little doubt that this was precisely how he put together so many works.
His creative imagination was passed onto some other artists of the era as he lived within humble surrounds as an artist and as such was in a position to work as one, applying his drawing of cartoons and development of etchings to come up with a huge variety of artworks. Norman Lindsay generated a number of great paintings and drawings duirng his life but he was also very well known for his etchings and statues.Whilst ill as a child he trained himself to sketch. Whilst a number of of Norman’s brothers and sisters were accomplished artists it was Lionel, his brother with whom he ultimately moved to Melbourne to take up work with a local publication.
Moving employment, Norman and his brother went to work for the Sydney Bulletin. At the Bulletin their role was to turn out a collection of cartoons and illustrations to go with publication stories. Lionel acquired a reputation for being irritating and whilst an extraordinary artist he eventually left the Bulletin leaving behind Norman to prosper. As his popularity grew so did his controversial works such as the piece titled the Crucified Venus that was taken out from an exhibition when it was looked at as offensive. Later the artwork was returned to the display as soon as the President of the Society of Artists threatened to remove all the other pictures if it was not returned.
Norman Lindsay was married two times, his first spouse Catherine eventually left him in 1909 and he remarried in 1920 to Rose who was one of his models. She also moved into the function of his business manager, a role that she did incredibly well. She watched over his work and because Norman Lindsay was constantly moving onto his following piece after he finished one, she quickly amassed an awesome selection a large amount of of which has now been preserved. Norman Lindsay Art may be found in several art galleries throughout the world as well as in numerous private collections. Dealers frequently offer a wide range of Norman Lindsay art works and the significant demand has seen a continuous rise in valuations over recent years. Norman Lindsay died in 1969 and will forever appreciated as one of Australia’s most important and most controversial artists.
If you are an Investor, Collector or Enthusiast of Fine art you can learn a lot more about the superb life and works of Norman Lindsay online. Head over to Jamie Horne’s website NormanLindsay.net that is devoted to this astounding Australian artist.
