St Kilda Pier
1888
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
46.2 × 61.3 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, 1967
© Arthur Boyd/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
Prior to a significant period traveling and painting in Europe, Arthur Boyd Senior worked within the popular tradition of naturalism. By depicting everyday life and accessible scenes of nature, seemingly without distortion, naturalism fostered an appreciation for beauty in the everyday which, within the Australian context, helped shape ideas of Australian life. St Kilda Pier sits within a broader field of maritime works created by local artists in the 1800s into the early 1900s. While living in Melbourne, Boyd Senior was in close proximity to the Pier, making it an accessible subject that carried with it the story of Australia’s growth and that of the humble worker.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Melbourne, Victoria
Inscription
inscribed in brown paint l.l.: Arthur Boyd 1888 ·
inscribed in pen and ink on reverse: St Kilda Pier / Arthur Boyd £20.0.0
Accession Number
1729-5
Department
Australian Painting
Subjects (general)
Daily Life Leisure, Games and Sport Marines and Seascapes
Subjects (specific)
Australia (nation) fishing leisure Melbourne (inhabited place) piers (marine landings) sailing vessels St Kilda (inhabited place) Victoria (state)
Frame
Not original, c.1920