Paintings from the Collection of Allen D. Christensen

In addition to the well-known works of art in public collections, most artists have produced an equally fine body of work which remains hidden in private collections. The collection of Allen Christensen is rich in the works of some of Australia’s most famous painters of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries: McCubbin, Dobell, Boyd, Drysdale and French to name only a few. As the collection is scattered among Mr. Christensen’s homes in Australia and America, this exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see this material gathered together in one place.

The National Gallery of Victoria is deeply grateful to Mr. Christensen for assisting us to mount this exhibition and thus to widen the understanding of the oeuvre of the artists involved. We are even more appreciative of Mr. Christensen’s generosity for having left with the Gallery on long-term loan a considerable proportion of this collect ion. It is interesting to note that Mr. Christensen is an American. Australian art has long been confined to local consumption. It is gratifying to see an appreciation of it growing among international collectors of Mr. Christensen’s standing.

Eric Rowlison
Director