Many of Burch’s works were sourced through the now legendary Church Street Photographic Centre run by Joyce Evans.
His example of Max Dupain’s Sunbaker (scheduled to be offered in Mossgreen’s October 30 art auction) is one of the most pristine examples of the iconic image and only obtained after much persistence.
Instantly recognisable is Arnold Newman’s 1946 cropped portrait of concert pianist Igor Stravinsky – demonstrating the photographer’s exceptional genius in the art of composition and helping establish him as the master of environmental portraiture.
Another important image is the extraordinary large example of Antarctic photographer Herbert Ponting’s The End of Barne Glacier (Dog Sled on an Iceberg) 1910-1913.
Outside the Burch collection, Lee Friedlander’s iconic 1966 image, New York City, from the estate of former curator of photography at the National Gallery of Victoria Jennie Boddington, is bound to spark plenty of interest.
Traditionalists are well represented at the auction with paintings by Arthur and David Boyd, Albert Tucker, Charles Blackman and Donald Friend.
Contemporary and indigenous highlights include American artist John Baldessari’s Noses & Ears etc, only the second of his works to come onto the Australian auction market, two large and important Peter Nielsen paintings, and several indigenous acrylics by Kitty Kantilla, Stumpy Brown and Ginger Riley.
Leonard Joel’s forthcoming fine art auction offers an affordable and desirable range of contemporary, modern, aboriginal, international art and sculpture suitable for both veteran art collectors and those entering the market for the first time.
Leonard Joel will hold their Fine Art auction on the following day, 5 September in Melbourne and one of the more intriguing and eye-catching works is Tim Storrier’s Palette 1982 – comprising mixed media with found objects.
Interesting is Still Life With Fruit 1866 by colonial artist W.E.D. Stuart (1826-1873).
Stuart arrived in Australia during the gold rush and ventured to Sandhurst (Bendigo) to try his luck as a prospector.
When that didn’t work, he turned his hand to painting still lifes and marine scenes.
Already an artist of some note, Stuart had already exhibited at various London institutions and in Melbourne showed at the Victorian Academy of Arts and the 1866 International Exhibition.
Another painting of note is Street in Isfahan 1961 by Elaine Haxton. Qantas Airlines invited Haxton to travel internationally all expenses paid with providing the company could use any two of her resulting drawings for advertisements.
During the trip, she was lucky enough to see Isfahan before the Iranian revolution in 1979.
Although Qantas did not use any of Haxton’s works, she later turned many of them into oil paintings.
Sali Herman’s (1898-1993) Sydney Street Scene 1982 is a typical example of the works for which he is best known – depictions of inner Sydney’s slums and old Victorian terraces.
His use of geometric block forms and contrast gave colour and monumentality to otherwise seemingly dull building facades.
