George Duncan (painter)
Encyclopedia
George Bernard Duncan was an Australian painter born in Aotearoa
, New Zealand
.
He studied around 1925 under Dattilo Rubbo
at the Royal Art Society. It was here he met Alison Rehfisch
and they began sharing studio space.
She left her husband and they met up in London
in 1934, where they studied, worked and travelled, including a 3-month stay in Spain. He spent the war years as a camouflage artist, returning to Sydney
in 1942 to marry Alison, her husband having died in 1938.
In 1947 their home burnt down and Alison lost several hundred paintings. Friends arranged an auction at the home of Desiderius Orban
. He and Alison moved to the country and took to painting landscapes around Berrima
, Moss Vale
and Goulburn
but returned to Sydney when he secured a position as director of David Jones
Art Gallery, which he held from 1953 to 1964. They bought a house "Hillgrove" in Pymble which she decorated extensively. After George died of cancer, she was inconsolable and took her own life.
He was president of the Australian Watercolour Institute
from 1958
He was treasurer of Contemporary Art Society, Sydney from 1950
in 1976.
Aotearoa
Aotearoa is the most widely known and accepted Māori name for New Zealand. It is used by both Māori and non-Māori, and is becoming increasingly widespread in the bilingual names of national organisations, such as the National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.-Translation:The...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
He studied around 1925 under Dattilo Rubbo
Dattilo Rubbo
Antonio Salvatore Dattilo Rubbo was an Italian-born artist and art teacher active in Australia from 1897.Rubbo, or Dattilo-Rubbo, was born in Naples in 1870 and arrived in Australia in 1897. From 1898 Rubbo taught in Sydney schools including St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill, Kambala, The Scots...
at the Royal Art Society. It was here he met Alison Rehfisch
Alison Rehfisch
Alison Baily Rehfisch was an Australian painter born in Sydney. She was born Alison Baily Green in Woollahra, Sydney, and grew up in Mosman. Her mother, who was a proficient sculptor, painter and musician, encouraged her interest in painting and drawing...
and they began sharing studio space.
She left her husband and they met up in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1934, where they studied, worked and travelled, including a 3-month stay in Spain. He spent the war years as a camouflage artist, returning to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1942 to marry Alison, her husband having died in 1938.
In 1947 their home burnt down and Alison lost several hundred paintings. Friends arranged an auction at the home of Desiderius Orban
Desiderius Orban
Desiderius Orban OBE was a renowned Hungarian-born Australian painter, printmaker and teacher. He was influenced by the paintings of Henri Matisse, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne.-Biography:...
. He and Alison moved to the country and took to painting landscapes around Berrima
Berrima, New South Wales
Berrima is an historic village in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. The village, once a major town, is located on the Old Hume Highway between Canberra and Sydney. It was previously known officially as the Town of Berrima...
, Moss Vale
Moss Vale, New South Wales
Moss Vale is a town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. It has a population of 7,339 and is sited on the Illawarra Highway, which connects to Wollongong and the Illawarra coast via Macquarie Pass...
and Goulburn
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
but returned to Sydney when he secured a position as director of David Jones
David Jones Limited
David Jones Limited , colloquially known as DJs, is a high-end Australian department store chain.David Jones was founded in 1838 by David Jones, a Welsh immigrant, and is claimed to be the oldest continuously operating department store in the world still trading under its original name. It...
Art Gallery, which he held from 1953 to 1964. They bought a house "Hillgrove" in Pymble which she decorated extensively. After George died of cancer, she was inconsolable and took her own life.
He was president of the Australian Watercolour Institute
Australian Watercolour Institute
The Australian Watercolour Institute is a non-profit membership organization devoted to the advancement of watercolour painting in Australia. It was founded in 1923 by six painters in Sydney, and was modeled after the Royal Watercolour Society and the American Watercolor Society.-History:The AWI's...
from 1958
He was treasurer of Contemporary Art Society, Sydney from 1950
Exhibitions
A joint retrospective of George's and Alison's work was held at Macquarie GalleriesMacquarie Galleries
Macquarie Galleries was a Sydney, Australia private art gallery established in 1925 by John Henry Young and Basil Burdett. It was located at "Strathkyle", 19 Bligh Street Sydney then moved to 40 King Street in 1945....
in 1976.