John Longstaff
Encyclopedia
Sir
John Campbell Longstaff (10 March 1861 – 1 October 1941) was an Australia
n painter, war artist and a five-time winner of the Archibald Prize
. He was a cousin of Will Longstaff
, also a painter.
Longstaff was born at Clunes
, Victoria
, second son of Ralph Longstaff, storekeeper and Janet (Jessie) Campbell. John was educated at a boarding school in Miners Rest and Clunes State Schooland. He later studied at the Melbourne National Gallery School, after his father initially disapproved of his artistic ambitions.. Longstaff's talent was recognised by George Folingsby. He married Rosa Louisa (Topsy) Crocker 20 July 1887 Powlett Street East Melbourne, Victoria. In 1887 he won a competition with a picture titled Breaking the News.
He won the National Gallery of Victoria
's first travelling scholarship, and John and his wife sailed from Melbourne for London on P&O's 4,600-ton 'Valetta' in September 1887. In January 1898 they travelled to Paris
, where John exhibited in the Paris Salon. He later moved to London
, where he painted many portraits. He returned to Australia in 1894 and was given several commissions. He occupied a studio at Grosvenor chambers
in Melbourne from 1897 - 1900. The National Gallery of Victoria assumed ownership of The Sirens under terms of the scholarship and bought his large landscape Gippsland, Sunday night, 20 February 1898. He travelled to London again in 1901, where he exhibited with the Royal Academy
.
Longstaff was appointed an official war artist
with the Australian Infantry Force in the First World War. He made several portraits of officers in the military. On his return to Australia he won several awards and was given distinguished positions, such as his appointment to President of the Victorian Artists Society in 1924 and Trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria in 1927. He was knighted in 1928, the first Australian artist to have had this honour.
His 1929 portrait of the artist Ellis Rowan
was the first national portrait of an Australian woman.
His biography "Portrait in Youth", written by Nina Murdoch
was published in 1948. His 1920 portrait of Nina Murdoch hangs in Reading Room of the National Library, Canberra
.
His Archibald Prize winning pieces:
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
John Campbell Longstaff (10 March 1861 – 1 October 1941) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n painter, war artist and a five-time winner 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...
. He was a cousin of Will Longstaff
Will Longstaff
Captain William Frederick Longstaff was an Australian painter and war artist best known for his works commemorating those who died in the First World War.-Birth and education:...
, also a painter.
Longstaff was born at Clunes
Clunes, Victoria
Clunes is a town in Victoria, Australia, located 36 kilometres north of Ballarat, in the Shire of Hepburn. At the 2006 census it had a population of 1,026.- History :...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, second son of Ralph Longstaff, storekeeper and Janet (Jessie) Campbell. John was educated at a boarding school in Miners Rest and Clunes State Schooland. He later studied at the Melbourne National Gallery School, after his father initially disapproved of his artistic ambitions.. Longstaff's talent was recognised by George Folingsby. He married Rosa Louisa (Topsy) Crocker 20 July 1887 Powlett Street East Melbourne, Victoria. In 1887 he won a competition with a picture titled Breaking the News.
He won 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 first travelling scholarship, and John and his wife sailed from Melbourne for London on P&O's 4,600-ton 'Valetta' in September 1887. In January 1898 they travelled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where John exhibited in the Paris Salon. He later moved to 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...
, where he painted many portraits. He returned to Australia in 1894 and was given several commissions. He occupied a studio at Grosvenor chambers
Grosvenor Chambers
Grosvenor Chambers at number 9 Collins Street, Melbourne was Australia's first custom built complex of artist's studios.It housed many famous Australian artists studios. Some artists who held studios there include, Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton, Clara Southern, Charles Conder, E...
in Melbourne from 1897 - 1900. The National Gallery of Victoria assumed ownership of The Sirens under terms of the scholarship and bought his large landscape Gippsland, Sunday night, 20 February 1898. He travelled to London again in 1901, where he exhibited with the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
.
Longstaff was appointed an official war artist
War artist
A war artist depicts some aspect of war through art; this might be a pictorial record or it might commemorate how "war shapes lives." War artists have explored a visual and sensory dimension of war which is often absent in written histories or other accounts of warfare.- Definition and context:A...
with the Australian Infantry Force in the First World War. He made several portraits of officers in the military. On his return to Australia he won several awards and was given distinguished positions, such as his appointment to President of the Victorian Artists Society in 1924 and Trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria in 1927. He was knighted in 1928, the first Australian artist to have had this honour.
His 1929 portrait of the artist Ellis Rowan
Ellis Rowan
Marian Ellis Rowan , known as Ellis Rowan, was a well-known Australian botanical illustrator. She also did series of illustrations on birds, butterflies and insects....
was the first national portrait of an Australian woman.
His biography "Portrait in Youth", written by Nina Murdoch
Nina Murdoch
Nina Murdoch was an Australian traveller, journalist, author and broadcaster. She was born Madoline Nina Murdoch, daughter of John Andrew Murdoch, a law clerk, in North Carlton, Victoria, Australia]]...
was published in 1948. His 1920 portrait of Nina Murdoch hangs in Reading Room of the National Library, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
His Archibald Prize winning pieces:
- 1925 - Portrait of Maurice Moscovitch
- 1928 - Portrait of Dr Alexander Leeper
- 1929 - W A Holman, KC
- 1931 - Sir John Sulman
- 1935 - A B ('Banjo') Paterson
Gallery
External links
- John Longstaff at Artcyclopedia
- LONGSTAFF, Sir John at the Australian War Memorial