Charles Conder: 1868-1909
Plein air painting

In Melbourne Conder was welcomed into advanced artistic circles by Tom Roberts. He was introduced to Streeton, McCubbin and others, invited to paint at their ‘camps’ and became one of the instigators of The 9 by 5 Impression Exhibition of August 1889. As in Sydney, his practice was dominated by plein air painting, but Conder’s sense of fun was irrepressible and added a light-hearted and imaginative element to the rather more serious, nationalistic agenda of his ‘Heidelberg’ brothers.

Arriving in Paris in August 1890, Conder soon realised that in France, his plein air realism was passé. He was struck by Monet’s work and took his lead in visiting Normandy to paint spring blossom, giving up a tonal palette in favour of pure colour. Over the next few years he spent the greater part of spring and summer at favourite painting grounds in the Seine valley and along beaches around Dieppe.

Moving between London, Dieppé and Paris in the late 1890s, Conder was always drawn to paint the coast. In France it was the Normandy coastline, in England Swanage in 1900, Brighton in 1905 and Newquay in 1906. These works, influenced by a variety of artists including Whistler, Sickert, Augustus John and Wilson Steer veer between the extremes of dark, almost brooding tonality and a vivacious, high-key simplicity.

Charles CONDER
Great Britain 1868-1909
worked in Australia 1884-90
Rickett's Point 1890
oil on cardboard
30.9 x 76.9 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased 1973

Top image:

Charles CONDER
Great Britain 1868-1909
worked in Australia 1884-90
Springtime 1888
oil on cardboard
44.3 x 59.1 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1941