James Stuart MacDonald
Encyclopedia
James Stuart MacDonald was an Australian artist, art critic and Director of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales
from 1929 to 1937.
and Hawthorn Grammar School, but proved unsuccessful in his studies. As a child, through family connections, MacDonald met many painters and in the mid-1890s studied at the National Gallery of Victoria
's school.
MacDonald left Australia for London
in 1898 to attend the Westminster School of Art
. He then spent five years in Paris where he attended the Académie Julian
and the Académie Colarossi
. He exhibited his works at the Royal Academy of Arts and the Old Salon, Paris. He returned to Melbourne and married American arts student, Maud Keller on 4 August 1904. They moved to New York where he taught art until 1910 at a high school. Back in Australia he painted some portraits and landscapes and turned to drawing in charcoal and to lithographic portraits.
On 9 September 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War, MacDonald enlisted in the 5th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. With the rank of Private he served at Gallipoli where, on 26 April 1915, he was wounded in the abdomen and was classified unfit for active service. He served as a pay sergeant from 1916-1917 in England. In 1918 he worked as a camouflage artist with the 5th Division in France and was medically discharged from the army in April 1919.
Returning to Australia, MacDonald took up art study, publishing works on Frederick McCubbin
, Penleigh Boyd
, David Davies
and George Lambert
. Having given up painting, from 1923 he was art critic for The Melbourne Herald
.
. It was in this position that he gained a reputation for artistic conservatism and thus was hrmonious with the gallery trustees. MacDonald held more exhibitions of Australian work than was customary and added workshops and storerooms to the gallery. In 1936 he applied to become Director of the National Gallery of Victoria and was appointed. He had strained relations with the Trustees, particularly the Chairman, Sir Keith Murdoch
, who resented his ferocious attacks on contemporary art and the 1939 Herald exhibition of French and English painting, which MacDonald described as "exceedingly wretched paintings...putrid meat...the product of degenerates and perverts...filth". In 1940 the Trustees recommended against his reappointment and he was effectively dismissed in 1941.
In 1943 he was first witness on behalf of those who brought an action against the award of the Archibald Prize
to William Dobell
for his portrait of Joshua Smith. From 1943 to 1947 he was the art critic for The Age
and was appointed to the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board, becoming Chairman from 1949-1952. Macdonald lived in Montrose
and later joined the Liberal Party of Australia
.
MacDonald died in Melbourne on 12 November 1952 and was cremated. In 1958 a collection of his writings, 'Australian Painting Desiderata', was published with a foreword by Menzies. His portrait by Hugh Ramsay is held by the University of Melbourne
.
Art Gallery of New South Wales
The Art Gallery of New South Wales , located in The Domain in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, was established in 1897 and is the most important public gallery in Sydney and the fourth largest in Australia...
from 1929 to 1937.
Early life
MacDonald was born on 28 March 1878 in Carlton, Melbourne, the son of Solicitor Hector MacDonald and his American wife Anna Louisa, née Flett. He attended school at Kew High SchoolKew High School
Kew High School is a co-educational school in suburban Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, for students in years 7–12. It has over 1,400 students from the neighbourhoods of Kew, Balwyn, Ivanhoe, East Ivanhoe, Alphington, Rosanna, Clifton Hill, Richmond, Abbotsford, Hawthorn and Bundoora, with waiting...
and Hawthorn Grammar School, but proved unsuccessful in his studies. As a child, through family connections, MacDonald met many painters and in the mid-1890s studied at the National Gallery of Victoria
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites...
's school.
MacDonald left Australia for London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1898 to attend the Westminster School of Art
Westminster School of Art
The Westminster School of Art was an art school in Westminster, London. It was located at 18 Tufton Street, Deans Yard, Westminster, and was part of the old Architectural Museum.H. M. Bateman described it in 1903 as...
. He then spent five years in Paris where he attended the Académie Julian
Académie Julian
The Académie Julian was an art school in Paris, France.Rodolphe Julian established the Académie Julian in 1868 at the Passage des Panoramas, as a private studio school for art students. The Académie Julian not only prepared students to the exams at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts, but offered...
and the Académie Colarossi
Académie Colarossi
The Académie Colarossi is an art school founded by the Italian sculptor Filippo Colarossi. First located on the Île de la Cité, it moved in the 1870s to 10 rue de la Grande-Chaumière in the VIe arrondissement of Paris, France....
. He exhibited his works at the Royal Academy of Arts and the Old Salon, Paris. He returned to Melbourne and married American arts student, Maud Keller on 4 August 1904. They moved to New York where he taught art until 1910 at a high school. Back in Australia he painted some portraits and landscapes and turned to drawing in charcoal and to lithographic portraits.
On 9 September 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War, MacDonald enlisted in the 5th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. With the rank of Private he served at Gallipoli where, on 26 April 1915, he was wounded in the abdomen and was classified unfit for active service. He served as a pay sergeant from 1916-1917 in England. In 1918 he worked as a camouflage artist with the 5th Division in France and was medically discharged from the army in April 1919.
Returning to Australia, MacDonald took up art study, publishing works on Frederick McCubbin
Frederick McCubbin
Frederick McCubbin was an Australian painter who was prominent in the Heidelberg School, one of the more important periods in Australia's visual arts history....
, Penleigh Boyd
Penleigh Boyd
Theodore Penleigh Boyd was an Australian artist.Penleigh Boyd was a member of the Boyd artistic dynasty: his parents Arthur Merric Boyd and Emma Minnie Boyd were well-known artists of the day, and his brothers included Merric Boyd the ceramacist and the novelist Martin Boyd...
, David Davies
David Davies
-Politics:*David Davies , also known as David Davies Llandinam, MP for Cardigan, 1874–1885, and Cardiganshire, 1885–1886*David Sanders Davies , Liberal politician, MP for Denbigh 1918–1922...
and 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...
. Having given up painting, from 1923 he was art critic for The Melbourne Herald
The Herald (Melbourne)
The Herald was a broadsheet newspaper published in Melbourne, Australia from 1840 to 1990.The Port Phillip Herald was first published as a semi-weekly newspaper on 3 January 1840 from a weatherboard shack in Collins Street. It was the fourth newspaper to start in Melbourne.The paper took its name...
.
Gallery Director
In October 1928 MacDonald was appointed as the Director of the National Art Gallery of New South WalesArt Gallery of New South Wales
The Art Gallery of New South Wales , located in The Domain in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, was established in 1897 and is the most important public gallery in Sydney and the fourth largest in Australia...
. It was in this position that he gained a reputation for artistic conservatism and thus was hrmonious with the gallery trustees. MacDonald held more exhibitions of Australian work than was customary and added workshops and storerooms to the gallery. In 1936 he applied to become Director of the National Gallery of Victoria and was appointed. He had strained relations with the Trustees, particularly the Chairman, Sir Keith Murdoch
Keith Murdoch
Sir Keith Arthur Murdoch was an Australian journalist and the father of Rupert Murdoch, the CEO and Chairman of News Corp.-Life and career:Murdoch was born in Melbourne in 1885, the son of Annie and the Rev...
, who resented his ferocious attacks on contemporary art and the 1939 Herald exhibition of French and English painting, which MacDonald described as "exceedingly wretched paintings...putrid meat...the product of degenerates and perverts...filth". In 1940 the Trustees recommended against his reappointment and he was effectively dismissed in 1941.
In 1943 he was first witness on behalf of those who brought an action against the award of the Archibald Prize
Archibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after a bequest from J. F. Archibald, the editor of The Bulletin who died in 1919...
to William Dobell
William Dobell
Sir William Dobell, OBE was an Australian artist .The electoral Division of Dobell is named after him.- Life :...
for his portrait of Joshua Smith. From 1943 to 1947 he was the art critic for The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
and was appointed to the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board, becoming Chairman from 1949-1952. Macdonald lived in Montrose
Montrose, Victoria
Montrose is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 33 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges. At the 2006 Census, Montrose had a population of 6464....
and later joined the Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
.
MacDonald died in Melbourne on 12 November 1952 and was cremated. In 1958 a collection of his writings, 'Australian Painting Desiderata', was published with a foreword by Menzies. His portrait by Hugh Ramsay is held by the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
.