The collection includes some notable nineteenth-century drawings, such as Adelaide Ironside’s Self portrait 1855, but the bulk of quality holdings of works on paper are from the twentieth century, with particular emphasis on drawings produced in the period since the establishment of the Gallery in 1957. From 1900 onwards, the collection is of such depth that in 1984 and 2005 the Gallery was able to mount survey exhibitions of drawing in Australia with major representation by most significant twentieth-century Australian artists along with prime examples by many contemporary practitioners.
While many drawings are preliminary studies for, or related to, major paintings or sculpture in the collection, the aim has always been to build a comprehensive inventory of drawing as a primary activity in its own right. Twentieth-century artists, such as Lloyd Rees and William Dobell, who both placed great emphasis on drawing as an autonomous activity and as a prelude to painting, are particularly well represented. Dobell’s Self portrait 1940 was completed for presentation as a finished work whereas another Self portrait drawing in the collection from around 1965 was meant as a searching study for a painting, even though the painting never eventuated.
In his drawing and printmaking, Lloyd Rees gave distinct attention to expressing the graphic qualities of his medium, so it is not surprising that none of his drawings held in Newcastle relate directly to paintings. They are all independent expressions of the unique qualities of pencil, in the case of The Fig tree (No. 4) 1934, or ink, as in South Coast landscape from 1936. This latter work is one of only three such examples where Rees painstakingly created the contours of the landscape and the delicate gradations of light by using ink in a combination of wash and obsessive stippling.
Drawings by sculptors have always been regarded as a special category and Newcastle has an interesting selection by Lyndon Dadswell, Frank Hinder, Margel Hinder and Robert Klippel. Many of the drawings by the Hinders were produced during the period 1961 to 1966 when the couple were often in Newcastle while Margel completed her commission for the Captain Cook Memorial Fountain in Civic Park. This was Margel Hinder’s largest public work and one of the most highly acclaimed public fountains in Australia. It is such a distinctive feature of the City that it became the basis for the emblem of the Newcastle City Council.
The holdings comprehensively represent the work of Joy Hester, Donald Friend and Francis Lymburner who are among the rare few Australian artists using drawing as their almost singular activity. Each developed characteristic styles mostly using ink highlighted with added colour. The results, such as Hesters’ Boy with pink arms (Sweeney) 1955, retained the spontaneity of drawing along with a boldness or gravity that could compete with oil paintings on canvas.
Drawing has always played a central role in the teaching or training of painters. It was often through their drawings that Australian artists such as George Lambert, Godfrey Miller, Rah Fizelle and John Passmore exerted their influence on younger artists. Along with these artists, the collection also has representation by the influential artists working as teachers in Newcastle over recent years. These include Reg Russom, Robert Ward, John Montefiore, Gary Jones, Frank Celtlan, Trevor Weekes, Michael Bell and Clare Martin.