We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art stands and recognise the creative contribution First Australians make to the art and culture of this country.
On Display: QAG, Gallery 7
Sydney-born John Russell was destined to join his family’s engineering firm, but at 18 he became preoccupied by art. Having gained financial independence on the death of his father, Russell travelled to London in 1881 to study painting. In 1885, as a student in Paris, he worked with and befriended several important European artists, including Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Auguste Rodin and Vincent Van Gogh.
A year later, Russell and his wife settled on Belle-Île, an island off the coast of Brittany, where he built a house in which he hosted many artist friends. Here, Russell also met and developed a close friendship with artist Claude Monet, who played a significant part in his artistic development. Side-by-side, the pair painted numerous landscapes of the dramatic coastline.
Following his wife’s death in 1908, Russell destroyed many of his works and left Belle-Île to travel extensively in Europe, painting mainly watercolours. Russell returned to Australia in 1921, where he painted very little until his death.
1. If you could capture a particular place at a particular time in an artwork, what place would this be, what season and what time of day? Justify your choice.
2. Compare this artwork with to Russell’s Roc Toul (Roche Guibel) (Toul Rock (Guibel Rock)) 1904–1905. Consider what colours the artist has used to portray the weather and how that contributes to the overall mood of the piece.
Think of the colours and textures characteristic of a place that is important to you. Find images and photos representing these colours and textures, and use these to create a collage of your chosen place at a particular time.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art stands and recognise the creative contribution First Australians make to the art and culture of this country.