John Mather (artist)
Encyclopedia
John Mather was a Scottish-born, Australian plein-air painter and etcher.
Mather was born in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
, Scotland
, son of John Mather, a surveyor, and his wife Margaret, née Allan. Mather worked as a house decorator.
Mather studied art at the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts
and migrated to Australia in 1878. In 1880, Mather was partly responsible for the decoration of the dome of the Royal Exhibition Building
, Melbourne
.
Mather was appointed to the board of trustees of the Public Library, Museums and National Gallery of Victoria
in 1892.
Mather was a founding member of the Victorian Artists' Society, president in 1893-1900, 1906–08 and 1911. Mather was a member of the Felton Bequest Committee from 1905–16 and as trustee, strongly supported Australian art. Mather was also involved in the bohemian Artists' Camps
of Sydney
. In 1912 along with Frederick McCubbin
, Max Meldrum
, Walter Withers
Mather formed the breakaway Australian Art Association
.
Three of Mather's own paintings, 'Autumn in the Fitzroy Gardens' (oil), and 'Morning, Lake Omeo' and 'Wintry Weather, Yarra Glen' (watercolours), were purchased by the National Gallery of Vctoria.
Mather died of diabetes at his home, Cadzow, South Yarra, Victoria
on 18 February 1916; he was buried in Cheltenham cemetery.
Mather was born in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, son of John Mather, a surveyor, and his wife Margaret, née Allan. Mather worked as a house decorator.
Mather studied art at the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts
Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts
The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts is an independent organisation in Glasgow, founded in 1861, which promotes contemporary art and artists in Scotland. It is the third largest organization of its kind in the United Kingdom...
and migrated to Australia in 1878. In 1880, Mather was partly responsible for the decoration of the dome of the Royal Exhibition Building
Royal Exhibition Building
The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage Site-listed building in Melbourne, Australia, completed in 1880. It is located at 9 Nicholson Street in the Carlton Gardens, flanked by Victoria, Nicholson, Carlton and Rathdowne Streets, at the north-eastern edge of the central business district...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Mather was appointed to the board of trustees of the Public Library, Museums and National Gallery of Victoria
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites...
in 1892.
Mather was a founding member of the Victorian Artists' Society, president in 1893-1900, 1906–08 and 1911. Mather was a member of the Felton Bequest Committee from 1905–16 and as trustee, strongly supported Australian art. Mather was also involved in the bohemian Artists' Camps
Sydney artists' camps
Artists' camps flourished around Sydney Harbour in the 1880s and 1890s, mainly in the Mosman area making it "Australia's most painted suburb", but died out after the first decade of the twentieth century...
of 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 1912 along with Frederick McCubbin
Frederick McCubbin
Frederick McCubbin was an Australian painter who was prominent in the Heidelberg School, one of the more important periods in Australia's visual arts history....
, Max Meldrum
Max Meldrum
Duncan Max Meldrum was a Scottish born Australian painter. He is known as the founder of Australian Tonalism, a representational style of painting, as well as his portrait work, for which he won the Archibald Prize in 1939 and 1940.-Early Life and Training:Meldrum was born in Edinburgh, Scotland,...
, Walter Withers
Walter Withers
Walter Herbert Withers was an Australian landscape artist and a member of the Heidelberg School of Australian impressionists.- Biography :...
Mather formed the breakaway Australian Art Association
Australian Art Association
The Australian Art Association was founded in 1912 by John Mather, Frederick McCubbin, Max Meldrum and Walter Withers.Members included Rupert Bunny, William Dunn Knox and Leslie Wilkie....
.
Three of Mather's own paintings, 'Autumn in the Fitzroy Gardens' (oil), and 'Morning, Lake Omeo' and 'Wintry Weather, Yarra Glen' (watercolours), were purchased by the National Gallery of Vctoria.
Mather died of diabetes at his home, Cadzow, South Yarra, Victoria
South Yarra, Victoria
South Yarra is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Stonnington and Melbourne...
on 18 February 1916; he was buried in Cheltenham cemetery.