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Lot Essay
In 1940, after finishing his studies at the George Bell School, Drysdale left Melbourne with his family and spent a brief period in Albury. The family then moved to Sydney at the end of that year. This period marked an important new phase in Drysdale's painting. His work now took on its own unique style and was no longer derivative of the works of the modernists he had seen while in Europe during the 1930s. His first solo exhibition at Sydney's Macquarie Galleries in 1942 was a great success. There were favourable reviews and the National Gallery of Victoria purchased Moody's Pub.
In 1942, after the scare of Japanese invasion, the Drysdales moved with their young family back to Albury. They rented a house and Drysdale transformed an old two-storey barn a few paddocks away into a studio where he could paint without being disturbed.
Although far from Sydney, the family still felt the presence of the war. Several army camps were located near Albury and Drysdale saw soldiers marching along the road, in town and particularly at the railway station. (G Smith, op.cit., p.52)
Like many other artists of the time, the experience of the Depression and the War are central to Drysdale's work. Despite his persistent efforts to enlist in order to help the war effort he was rejected for military service three times due to his poor eyesight. Finally an army doctor told him that the best thing he could do for his country at this time was to continue painting as he had been, helping to record for posterity the feeling and fabric of the time.
In Solider, Drysdale successfully captures the ennui of military life in the country town where the soldiers exhaustion, emptiness and loneliness are evoked in order to suggest, not heroic qualities, but the boredom, the waiting and also the ultimate menace of army life.2 (G Dutton, Russell Drysdale, London, 1964, p.28). 3Drysdale9s seated full-length portrait of a solider at night is monumental in its simple composition. Shown with back to the wall, hands in the pockets of his long overcoat, and kitbag by his side, he waits for a train at Albury Station. Solider was owned by Mr and Mrs Benno Schmidt, who were among the most important American collectors of Australian art in the 1960s.2 (G Smith, op.cit., p.52) The Schmidts also owned other major works by Drysdale, Sidney Nolan and Donald Friend.
In 1942, after the scare of Japanese invasion, the Drysdales moved with their young family back to Albury. They rented a house and Drysdale transformed an old two-storey barn a few paddocks away into a studio where he could paint without being disturbed.
Although far from Sydney, the family still felt the presence of the war. Several army camps were located near Albury and Drysdale saw soldiers marching along the road, in town and particularly at the railway station. (G Smith, op.cit., p.52)
Like many other artists of the time, the experience of the Depression and the War are central to Drysdale's work. Despite his persistent efforts to enlist in order to help the war effort he was rejected for military service three times due to his poor eyesight. Finally an army doctor told him that the best thing he could do for his country at this time was to continue painting as he had been, helping to record for posterity the feeling and fabric of the time.
In Solider, Drysdale successfully captures the ennui of military life in the country town where the soldiers exhaustion, emptiness and loneliness are evoked in order to suggest, not heroic qualities, but the boredom, the waiting and also the ultimate menace of army life.2 (G Dutton, Russell Drysdale, London, 1964, p.28). 3Drysdale9s seated full-length portrait of a solider at night is monumental in its simple composition. Shown with back to the wall, hands in the pockets of his long overcoat, and kitbag by his side, he waits for a train at Albury Station. Solider was owned by Mr and Mrs Benno Schmidt, who were among the most important American collectors of Australian art in the 1960s.2 (G Smith, op.cit., p.52) The Schmidts also owned other major works by Drysdale, Sidney Nolan and Donald Friend.