James GLEESON

The Siamese moon
1952; dated 1951

Medium

oil on canvas

Credit Line: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
The Joseph Brown Collection. Presented through the NGV Foundation by Dr Joseph Brown AO OBE, Honorary Life Benefactor, 2004
© Courtesy of the artist
Reproduction requests

Gallery location: Gallery 20
Level 3, NGV Australia

About this work

For more than six decades James Gleeson explored the realms and possibilities of Surrealism and sought to show that there exists, beyond the obvious and everyday, an alternative reality experienced through dreams, hallucinations and differing mental states. Although dated 1951, The Siamese moon was painted in 1952 and is an eclectic and highly personal mix of images from literary sources and historical references to art and architecture. Following the Second World War, the sense of loss for Gleeson was most poignant when it was linked to sites enshrining the essence of past cultures.

Artwork Details

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

56.3 × 74.0 cm

Inscription

inscribed in white paint GlEEson 51.

Accession Number

2004.178

Department

Australian Painting

Credit Line

National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
The Joseph Brown Collection. Presented through the NGV Foundation by Dr Joseph Brown AO OBE, Honorary Life Benefactor, 2004
© Courtesy of the artist
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Vizard Foundation

Reproduction requests

Gallery location

Gallery 20
Level 3, NGV Australia

Subjects (general)

Fantasy Human Figures Landscapes

Subjects (specific)

buildings (structures) extraterrestrial bodies grass (plant material) hills men (male humans) moons nudes (representations) women (female humans)

Movements

Surrealism

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James GLEESON The Siamese moon 1952; dated 1951

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James GLEESON

The Siamese moon
1952; dated 1951