Frank Crozier
Encyclopedia
Frank Rossiter Crozier was a war records artist who is represented in the Australian War Memorial
's art collection along with other Official War Artists such as H. Septimus Power
, Arthur Streeton
, George Lambert
and Ivor Hele
.
Crozier studied at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School
in 1907 and was a member of the Charterisville
artists' colony in Heidelberg, Victoria
somewhere between 1900 and 1910 with Alf Fisher, then with the group centred around Clara Southern
at nearby Warrandyte.
Crozier was a soldier with the Australian Imperial Force after enlisting in March 1915 where he served in the 22nd Battalion in Egypt
and on the Gallipoli
peninsula. Whilst at Gallipoli, he was approached (with other soldiers Ted Colles, Otho Hewitt, Cyril Leyshon and David Barker) by journalist C.E.W. Bean to help illustrate the 'Anzac Book', a collection of short stories and illustrations for the troops. His artistic talent was noted by Bean, who had been given the role of official military historian and when official war artists were being commissioned by the Australian Government, Bean recommended Crozier be included in the scheme.
Crozier served in France
in 1917, notably in the area around Pozieres but it was only in 1918 that he was made an official war artist. Where other war artists were civilians who were attached to the army and given honorary rank, Frank Crozier was already a serving soldier, and so his contributions were part of his military duties.
Post-war he appears to have made a living as a prolific painter of farm scenes and landscapes which now fetch modest prices at auction.
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
's art collection along with other Official War Artists such as H. Septimus Power
H. Septimus Power
Harold Septimus Power was a New-Zealand born Australian artist, who was an official war artist for Australia in World War I.-Early life:...
, Arthur Streeton
Arthur Streeton
Sir Arthur Ernest Streeton was an Australian landscape painter.-Early life:Streeton was born in Mount Duneed, near Geelong, and his family moved to Richmond in 1874. In 1882, Streeton commenced art studies with G. F. Folingsby at the National Gallery School.Streeton was influenced by French...
, George Lambert
George Lambert
George Lambert may refer to:*George Lambert , played for Fitzroy Football Club in the early 20th century*George Lambert , English cricketer...
and Ivor Hele
Ivor Hele
Sir Ivor Henry Thomas Hele, CBE was an Australian artist. He was the longest serving war artist for the Australian War Memorial and completed more commissioned works than any other Australian artist in the history of Australian art.He was the first war artist appointed in the Second World War, and...
.
Crozier studied at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School
National Gallery of Victoria Art School
The National Gallery of Victoria Art School , associated with the National Gallery of Victoria, was founded in 1867. It was the leading centre for academic art training in Australia until about 1910. Among its luminaries, the school was headed by John Brack from 1962-68 and Sir William Dargie was...
in 1907 and was a member of the Charterisville
Charterisville
Charterisville is the name given to the residence and property at 77 Burke Road Ivanhoe, Victoria Australia closely associated with the Heidelberg School of Australian art....
artists' colony in Heidelberg, Victoria
Heidelberg, Victoria
Heidelberg is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule....
somewhere between 1900 and 1910 with Alf Fisher, then with the group centred around Clara Southern
Clara Southern
Clara Southern was an Australian artist associated with the Heidelberg School, also known as Australian Impressionism....
at nearby Warrandyte.
Crozier was a soldier with the Australian Imperial Force after enlisting in March 1915 where he served in the 22nd Battalion in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and on the Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
peninsula. Whilst at Gallipoli, he was approached (with other soldiers Ted Colles, Otho Hewitt, Cyril Leyshon and David Barker) by journalist C.E.W. Bean to help illustrate the 'Anzac Book', a collection of short stories and illustrations for the troops. His artistic talent was noted by Bean, who had been given the role of official military historian and when official war artists were being commissioned by the Australian Government, Bean recommended Crozier be included in the scheme.
Crozier served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1917, notably in the area around Pozieres but it was only in 1918 that he was made an official war artist. Where other war artists were civilians who were attached to the army and given honorary rank, Frank Crozier was already a serving soldier, and so his contributions were part of his military duties.
Post-war he appears to have made a living as a prolific painter of farm scenes and landscapes which now fetch modest prices at auction.