Frank McNamara Australia, 1916-95
Past Sales
Sales by Medium
Where to buy or sell art works by Frank McNamara
Auction Houses
About Frank McNamara
Born in Perth in 1916, Frank McNamara studied in Sydney under G.A. Daniel from 1928 to 1931 and worked as a commercial artist before enlisting to serve in the army in World War II. Towards the end of the war he painted watercolours of jungle warfare in New Britain, New Guinea where he was stationed. In 1945 he won first prize and third prize at the Australian at War exhibition in 1945 and in 1950 he published Landscape in Watercolour - Frank McNamara. From 1944 he was a finalist in the Art Gallery of New South Wales Wynne Prize on five occasions and a finalist in the Sulman Prize in 1944.
The earliest auction listing we have for Frank McNamara is in 1973 and in total 114 works by the artist have been offered for sale, of which 68 (60%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $3,596 for In the Dunes, Coorong sold by Elder Fine Art in June 2021. This year 4 works have been offered for sale. Works by Frank McNamara are held by the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of NSW and a further three major public national galleries (see list below).
Frank McNamara is listed in the following standard biographical references:
- McCulloch, Alan McCulloch, Susan McCulloch, Emily McCulloch-Childs. The New McCulloch's Encyclopedia of Australian Art. 4th Edition, Aus Art Melbourne & The Miegunyah Press, 2006. Page 653
- Germaine, Max. Artists and Galleries of Australia, Volumes 1 & 2, Third Edition. Craftsman Press, Sydney, 1990. Page 439
- Campbell, Jean. Australian Watercolour Painters: 1780 to the Present Day. Craftsman House, Sydney, 1989. Page 340
- Dictionary of Australian Artists Online, an online resource for biographical data about Australian artists, designers, craftspeople and curators.
- Australian Prints + Printmaking, a database listing printmaking artists from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region based on the print collection of the National Gallery of Australia.
Artists' Resale Royalty
Could the second and subsequent works by this artist sold after June 9, 2010 for over $1,000 be liable for the Artists' Resale Royalty? More info…
Yes, eligible, subject to the artist satisfying the residency test. The artist is alive or has been deceased for less than 70 years. Contact the Copyright Agency for information on the residency test.
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