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Lot #1 - Elioth Gruner

  • Auction House:
    Mossgreen
  • Sale Name:
    The Contents of Falls House
  • Sale Date:
    13 Nov 2017 ~ 10am
  • Lot #:
    1
  • Lot Description:
    Elioth Gruner
    (1882-1939)
    The Vale
    oil on canvas on board
    29.5 x 24 cm
    signed and dated lower right: GRUNER 1926
  • Provenance:
    Macquarie Galleries, Sydney, 1926 (label on the reverse); The artist's estate; Mrs John Maund (label on the reverse) purchased from the above; Acquired by the present owner's grandparents; thence by descent; Private collection, New South Wales; Important Art, Sotheby’s, Sydney, 26 November 2007, lot 63; Private collection, Sydney
  • Exhibited:
    Elioth Gruner Memorial Loan Exhibition, National Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 17 April - 31 May 1940, cat. 21, titled 'Landscape, N.S.W.' (label on the reverse)
  • Notes:
    Elioth Gruner was one of the most gifted artists Australia produced, and perhaps the most extraordinary in terms of his relative anonymity. To those that know his work, Gruner is recognised for his astounding ability to capture light in his breathtaking landscape compositions. In fact, he was dubbed the ‘master of light’ by Norman Lindsay, and simultaneously likened to J. M. W. Turner, the world-renowned father of light. Accordingly, it seems strange that having been compared to one of the world’s most recognised artists, Gruner would not be better known. His life was a far-cry from the dreamlike artworks he is known for. Suffering from depression and battling alcoholism in his later years, Gruner fits the mould of the brilliant yet troubled artist. Due to the unfortunate financial state of his family, Gruner worked from a young age as a draper’s assistant – painting only in the evenings and on Sundays when he had the day off. Having exhibited sporadically at the Society of Artists for eleven years, it was not until he was thirty that he quit his job and began to live off his works’ proceeds. It was in these early years of artistic freedom, that he began painting en plein air in the Monaro-Canberra region and further afield. Here, Gruner truly found his stride, and garnered praise from artists and patrons alike. This artwork is an exceptional example of Gruner’s ability to paint light and landscapes in their truest form. The clarity and self-assurance he expresses through this artwork, and many others, is indicative of a profound connection to the land, and what makes his work so breathtaking. A recent exhibition of his work at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra titled Elioth Gruner: The Texture of Light in 2014 received widespread critical acclaim. Iona Litchfield
  • Estimate:
    A$20,000 - 30,000
  • Realised Price:
    *****

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  • Category:
    Art

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.



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