Gustave Barnes
Encyclopedia
Gustave Barnes was an Australia
n artist and modeller.
Gustave Barnes was born in Islington
, Middlesex
, England
, the eldest son of John William Barnes, a plasterer, and his wife Ann Eliza, née May. The family migrated to Adelaide
when Gustave was a child; his father establishing Barnes & Neate, a builders, palsters and modelling business. On leaving school Gustave Barnes had some training in modelling, but was also a musician; at 21 years of age went to Europe
to continue his study of the violin
.
Barnes obtained employment at the Doulton pottery works
as a designer, painter and modeller, and during his evenings studied at the Royal College of Art
, South Kensington
. In 1908 he exhibited a water-colour, 'Suffolk Marshes', at the Royal Academy of Arts. He also played violin in Sir Edward Elgar's
second orchestra. His father died in 1912 and Barnes returned to Adelaide to carry on the business.
Barnes did a great deal of landscape painting
, and was very interested in black and white work. In 1915 he was employed to classify and catalogue prints and drawings at the Art Gallery of South Australia
and shortly afterwards was made curator of the gallery. He proved himself to be conscientious and able, and his early death on 14 March 1921 was much regretted.
Barnes had married Annie May while in England in 1909 and his wife survived him with two children. He is represented by three pictures in the Adelaide gallery. He took up painting at a relatively late age, and some of his work suggests that had he lived longer he might have reached a higher position in Australian art than is usually given him.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n artist and modeller.
Gustave Barnes was born in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the eldest son of John William Barnes, a plasterer, and his wife Ann Eliza, née May. The family migrated to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
when Gustave was a child; his father establishing Barnes & Neate, a builders, palsters and modelling business. On leaving school Gustave Barnes had some training in modelling, but was also a musician; at 21 years of age went to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to continue his study of the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
.
Barnes obtained employment at the Doulton pottery works
Royal Doulton
The Royal Doulton Company is an English company producing tableware and collectables, dating to 1815. Operating originally in London, its reputation grew in The Potteries, where it was a latecomer compared to Spode, Wedgwood and Minton...
as a designer, painter and modeller, and during his evenings studied at the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
, South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
. In 1908 he exhibited a water-colour, 'Suffolk Marshes', at the Royal Academy of Arts. He also played violin in Sir Edward Elgar's
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
second orchestra. His father died in 1912 and Barnes returned to Adelaide to carry on the business.
Barnes did a great deal of landscape painting
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
, and was very interested in black and white work. In 1915 he was employed to classify and catalogue prints and drawings at the Art Gallery of South Australia
Art Gallery of South Australia
The Art Gallery of South Australia , located on the cultural boulevard of North Terrace in Adelaide, is the premier visual arts museum in the Australian state of South Australia. It has a collection of over 35,000 works of art, making it, after the National Gallery of Victoria, the largest state...
and shortly afterwards was made curator of the gallery. He proved himself to be conscientious and able, and his early death on 14 March 1921 was much regretted.
Barnes had married Annie May while in England in 1909 and his wife survived him with two children. He is represented by three pictures in the Adelaide gallery. He took up painting at a relatively late age, and some of his work suggests that had he lived longer he might have reached a higher position in Australian art than is usually given him.