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John Banks (Aust., 1883–1945).

[Standing Female With Golden Hair]

c1920s. Oil on card, Initialled “J.B.” lower right, 21.2 x 11.7cm. Chips to edges.

Uncommon rendering of a full-length figure by Banks in his Impressionistic style.

Painter and illustrator, John Drummond Donald Banks was born in Millers Point, Sydney on 17 January 1883. He studied art under Harry Garlick, J.S. Watkins, Sydney Long and Lawson Balfour. In 1928, he married Sydney photographer Elizabeth Mahony who subsequently gave up her career. Banks was an associate of the Royal Art Society of NSW from 1923 to 1945. More known for his paintings of seascapes and ships, he also painted other subjects in the “Impressionistic style.”

An article in The Sun (Sydney) in 1938 describes the Banks as a well-travelled socialite couple who visited numerous art galleries overseas, and sought out Australian art. After returning from a recent trip, Elizabeth Banks commented that Australian artists were “doing remarkably well” and “the feeling of sunshine and brightness in pictures of Australian artists makes them very popular in London.” Ref: National Library of Australia (Trove); The Sun (Sydney); NGA Centre for Australian Art; DAAO; Australian Cemetery Index; NSW BDM.

The New England Regional Art Museum holds an oil painting by John Banks, Blue Symphony, which is painted in a similar Impressionistic style.

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Item #CL208-26

Price (AUD): $1,850.00  other currencies