Australian Cubism

Cubism was an important influence on Australian art in the 1920s. Artists such as Grace Crowley, Dorrit Black and Anne Dangar travelled to Europe in the late 1920s, studying under French Cubist artists André Lhote and Albert Gleizes. Other Australians, including Ethel Spowers and Eveline Syme studied at London’s Grosvenor School of Modern Art with Claude Flight, who promoted the colour linocut as a modernist medium. Syme wrote, ‘Here was something new and different, I had seen nothing more vital and essentially “modern” in the best sense of the word’. When they returned home, Dorrit Black and Grace Crowley played a pivotal role in the dissemination of modernist principles in the Australian art landscape. Currently on display in the collection galleries at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia is a selection of paintings and prints highlighting the breadth of Australian cubism and modernist experimentation from the 1930s to the 1950s.

Collection works

Grace Cossington SMITH<br/>
<em>The Bridge in-curve</em> (1930) <!-- (recto) --><br />

tempera on cardboard<br />
83.6 x 111.8 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Presented by the National Gallery Society of Victoria, 1967<br />
1765-5<br />
© Estate of Grace Cossington Smith
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Grace Cossington SMITH
The Bridge in-curve
(1930)

Doris Hope WESTON<br/>
<em>Claude Flight’s painting lesson</em> (c. 1928) <!-- (frame recto) --><br />

oil on canvas<br />
68.7 x 51.2 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
June Sherwood Bequest, 2025<br />
2025.605<br />
© Estate of the Artist
<!--157465-->

Doris Hope WESTON
Claude Flight’s painting lesson
(c. 1928)

Ralph BALSON<br/>
<em>(Constructive painting)</em> (1941) <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on cardboard<br />
71.4 x 56.2 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Bequest of Grace Crowley, 1981<br />
2021.222<br />
© Ralph Balson Estate
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Ralph BALSON
(Constructive painting)
(1941)

Eveline SYME<br/>
<em>Tuscan landscape</em> (c. 1930) <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on canvas<br />
51.5 x 66.5 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Purchased, June Sherwood Bequest and funds donated by Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM and Family, 2022<br />
2022.855<br />
© Courtesy of the artist's estate
<!--149625-->

Eveline SYME
Tuscan landscape
(c. 1930)

Grace CROWLEY<br/>
<em>Portrait</em> (1939) <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on canvas on cardboard<br />
71.6 x 56.2 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Bequest of the artist, 1981<br />
A3-1981<br />
© The Artist
<!--5449-->

Grace CROWLEY
Portrait
(1939)

Dorrit BLACK<br/>
<em>A Dorset farmyard</em> (1944) <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on canvas<br />
(42.2 x 58.7 cm)<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Gift of Andrée Fay Harkness through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2020<br />
2020.572<br />

<!--138096-->

Dorrit BLACK
A Dorset farmyard
(1944)

Constance STOKES<br/>
<em>The village</em> (c. 1933-1935) <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on canvas<br />
61.4 x 51.0 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Presented by the artist under the terms of the National Gallery of Victoria Travelling Scholarship, 1946<br />
1661-4<br />
© Courtesy of the artist's estate
<!--3026-->

Constance STOKES
The village
(c. 1933-1935)

Dorrit BLACK<br/>
<em>Gum trees</em> (1933-1935) <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on canvas on canvas<br />
38.0 x 55.1 cm (image) 42.0 x 59.8 cm irreg. (canvas)<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Purchased with funds donated by George and Patricia Kline and family, 2015<br />
2015.82<br />

<!--115125-->

Dorrit BLACK
Gum trees
(1933-1935)

Grace CROWLEY<br/>
<em>Abstract painting</em> 1952 <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on composition board<br />
61.2 x 90.8 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Bequest of the artist, 1981<br />
A4-1981<br />
© The Artist
<!--5446-->

Grace CROWLEY
Abstract painting
1952

Roland WAKELIN<br/>
<em>The bridge under construction</em> (1928-1929) <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on canvas on (board)<br />
(100.0 x 120.0 cm)<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Purchased, 1967<br />
1758-5<br />
© Courtesy of the artist's estate
<!--3170-->

Roland WAKELIN
The bridge under construction
(1928-1929)

Sybil ANDREWS<br/>
<em>Sledgehammers</em> 1933 <!-- (recto) --><br />

colour linocut on buff oriental paper<br />
26.3 x 31.6 cm (block) 27.9 x 33.3 cm (sheet)<br />
ed. 19/60<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Felton Bequest, 1937<br />
431-4<br />
© Estate of Sybil Andrews, Glenbow, Calgary, Canada
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Sybil ANDREWS
Sledgehammers
1933

Alison REHFISCH<br/>
<em>Alpine village</em> (c. 1936) <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on canvas on canvas on plywood<br />
(59.7x 45.0 cm)<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Gift of Andrée Harkness through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program<br />
2020.584<br />
© Kevin Power AM, Copyright Holder, Alison Rehfisch Estate
<!--138091-->

Alison REHFISCH
Alpine village
(c. 1936)

Dod PROCTER<br/>
<em>In a strange land</em> (1919) <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on canvas<br />
76.2 x 61.0 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Gift of Mrs E. M. Gerard Shaw, 1946<br />
1516-4<br />
© the Artist's Estate. All Rights Reserved / Bridgeman Images
<!--4278-->

Dod PROCTER
In a strange land
(1919)

Roy de MAISTRE<br/>
<em>Syncromy, Berry's Bay</em> 1919 <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on plywood<br />
25.4 x 35.2 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
The Joseph Brown Collection. Presented through the NGV Foundation by Dr Joseph Brown AO OBE, Honorary Life Benefactor, 2004<br />
2004.163<br />
© Courtesy of the artist's estate
<!--75859-->

Roy de MAISTRE
Syncromy, Berry's Bay
1919

Roy de MAISTRE<br/>
<em>A painted picture of the Universe</em> 1920-1934 <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil and pencil on composition board<br />
50.6 x 40.4 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Purchased, 1976<br />
A10-1976<br />
© Courtesy of the artist's estate
<!--5902-->

Roy de MAISTRE
A painted picture of the Universe
1920-1934

Grace Cossington SMITH<br/>
<em>Crowd</em> (c. 1922) <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on cardboard<br />
66.7 x 87.5 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Presented by the National Gallery Society of Victoria, 1967<br />
1764-5<br />
© Estate of Grace Cossington Smith
<!--3008-->

Grace Cossington SMITH
Crowd
(c. 1922)

Roland WAKELIN<br/>
<em>On Ball's Head</em> 1919 <!-- (recto) --><br />

oil on plywood<br />
22.8 x 28.9 cm<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
The Joseph Brown Collection. Presented through the NGV Foundation by Dr Joseph Brown AO OBE, Honorary Life Benefactor, 2004<br />
2004.231<br />
© Courtesy of the artist's estate
<!--75858-->

Roland WAKELIN
On Ball's Head
1919

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