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Lot Essay
A founding member of the Heidelberg school of Australian Impressionism, the subject matter of McCubbin's body of work concentrated on Melbourne and its surrounds. Unlike Streeton and Roberts, McCubbin never painted in Sydney, preferring instead to depict South Yarra, Heidelberg and the more rurual areas outlying Melbourne such as Mount Macedon. McCubbin also only ever travelled overseas once in his life, when he spent six months in Europe and England in 1907.
1907, the year in which this work was painted, was a particularly productive and eventful year in McCubbin's life. It was in this year that he painted iconic works such as Lost and Blue and Gold (Mrs Isadore Kozminsky), both of which are held in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria. At this time the artist was living in South Yarra and teaching at the National Gallery School in Melbourne. He was given six months paid leave in order to travel overseas and in May 1907 he held an exhibition at the Guild Hall in Swanston Street in order to raise funds for his journey. It was at this exhibition that this work was shown. Four days after his exhibition opened, McCubbin embarked on his voyage to Europe and England, arriving in early July.
It is generally agreed that the European journey and the impression made upon McCubbin by Turner's paintings in the Tate Gallery had the effect of lightening the artist's palette and changing the focus of his work from Victorian narratives to Impressionistic rural landscapes, without affecting his innate style. James MacDonald commented that "The trip had made him broader in outlook and at the same time more Australian at heart." (J MacDonald, The Art of Frederick McCubbin, Melbourne, 1916, p.77)
Upon his return to Melbourne in November 1907, McCubbin rented the house 'Carlsberg' at 42 Kensington Road South Yarra, next to the Como Estate, which was to become the family home for the remainder of his life. The family divided their time between Carlsberg and their cottage at Mount Macedon which they had purchased in 1901.
1907, the year in which this work was painted, was a particularly productive and eventful year in McCubbin's life. It was in this year that he painted iconic works such as Lost and Blue and Gold (Mrs Isadore Kozminsky), both of which are held in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria. At this time the artist was living in South Yarra and teaching at the National Gallery School in Melbourne. He was given six months paid leave in order to travel overseas and in May 1907 he held an exhibition at the Guild Hall in Swanston Street in order to raise funds for his journey. It was at this exhibition that this work was shown. Four days after his exhibition opened, McCubbin embarked on his voyage to Europe and England, arriving in early July.
It is generally agreed that the European journey and the impression made upon McCubbin by Turner's paintings in the Tate Gallery had the effect of lightening the artist's palette and changing the focus of his work from Victorian narratives to Impressionistic rural landscapes, without affecting his innate style. James MacDonald commented that "The trip had made him broader in outlook and at the same time more Australian at heart." (J MacDonald, The Art of Frederick McCubbin, Melbourne, 1916, p.77)
Upon his return to Melbourne in November 1907, McCubbin rented the house 'Carlsberg' at 42 Kensington Road South Yarra, next to the Como Estate, which was to become the family home for the remainder of his life. The family divided their time between Carlsberg and their cottage at Mount Macedon which they had purchased in 1901.