AA PPaattrroonn’’Paintings from the Howard Hinton Collection

Norman Lindsay’s relation-

ship with Howard Hinton,

art collector and public

benefactor of the arts,

spanned over 30 years until

Hinton’s death in 1948. As

a connoisseur of Australian

art, in a broad sense Hinton

was Lindsay’s patron,

however this is not to

suggest that Lindsay was

either employed or

commissioned by him to

produce artworks. Hinton

sought to assemble a

representative collection

illustrating the development

of Australian art from 1880

essentially bought what he liked, and

Norman Lindsay he recognised one of the

great practitioners of his day,

one of his favourites.

Lindsay held Hinton in special regard

of his most valued friends but also

admired his stated project of collecting

preserving the best art of his generation in

this country: “I can recall him

in those [early] days coming to the counter of

the old Bulletin … buying examples of the

pen-work of Lambert, Mahony and others.

course he was one of the first patrons of our

Society of Artists’ exhibitions … my

friendship dates from that time.”

Hinton acquired artworks from exhibitions

and directly from the artist in

Norman Lindsay’s protégé Margaret Coen

remembered Lindsay taking great pleasure in

Howard Hinton’s annual visits to Springwood,

‘… not because of a possible sale, as buyers

were not encouraged, but for the interest that

Hinton had in the work, and the f

left behind that it was worth doing. He would

come on Saturday and spend till Sunday

1 Norman Lindsay, ‘The Mission’, Howard Hinton

Art, Sydney, 1951, p.13.

Norman Lindsay c.1931

’’ss FFaavvoouurriittee LLiinnPaintings from the Howard Hinton Collection

from 1880, but he

essentially bought what he liked, and if in

ed one of the

he also found

in special regard as one

s but also greatly

collecting and

preserving the best art of his generation in

“I can recall him [Hinton] often

in those [early] days coming to the counter of

… buying examples of the

ahony and others. Of

one of the first patrons of our

Society of Artists’ exhibitions … my

riendship dates from that time.” 1

Hinton acquired artworks from exhibitions

in his studio.

Margaret Coen

remembered Lindsay taking great pleasure in

n’s annual visits to Springwood,

not because of a possible sale, as buyers

were not encouraged, but for the interest that

Hinton had in the work, and the feeling he

left behind that it was worth doing. He would

come on Saturday and spend till Sunday

Howard Hinton, Patron of

afternoon looking at everything.

Then he would ask to be left

alone for an hour with the

pictures. When he asked

Norman to come in, he would

have his selected pi

and would enquire the price.

He always made Norman feel

that he was the privileged one

to be allowed to buy one or two.

One day when

picture at a hundred pounds,

Hinton at once wrote a cheque.

“I couldn’t take it for

he said, handing

cheque for

seventy-five pounds.’

2 Meg Stewart, Creative Friendspp.35-36.

HydrangeaHydrangeaHydrangeaHydrangea,,,, Norman Lindsay, 1934

NERAM, Bequest of Howard Hinton

nnddssaayyss Paintings from the Howard Hinton Collection

afternoon looking at everything.

Then he would ask to be left

alone for an hour with the

pictures. When he asked

Norman to come in, he would

have his selected pictures up

and would enquire the price.

He always made Norman feel

that he was the privileged one

to be allowed to buy one or two.

One day when Lindsay priced a

picture at a hundred pounds,

Hinton at once wrote a cheque.

I couldn’t take it for less”,

id, handing him his

cheque for a hundred and

five pounds.’ 2

Creative Friends, unpublished MS, 2010,

4, Watercolour,

of Howard Hinton, 1948.

AA PPaattrroonn’’Paintings from the Howard Hinton Collection

Lindsay recalled his lasting personal debt to

Hinton as ‘… not one that can be paid. It is

not concerned with the encouragement from

his buying examples of my work over the

years, though I record gratitude for the

stimulus of his appreciation …. My debt goes

to a certain emanation of the spirit from him

that I can define only by the bedraggled label

of Faith. Even in the blackest and most

depressed years, that emanation assured one

that the job was worth doing.’ 3

Between 1914 and 1948 Hinton

pictures to the National Gallery of New South

Wales, including works by E. Phillips Fox,

George Lambert, Elioth Gruner,

and Arthur Streeton. However, when

his donations were refused he

idea of endowing a regional centr

art collection the equal of anything to be

found in the city. For this purpose Hinton

chose the Armidale Teachers’ College, making

his first donation in 1929. By 1948 Hinton’s

bequest totalled over 1000 artworks

art library of some 700 volumes.

3 Norman Lindsay, ‘The Mission’, Howard HintonArt, Sydney, 1951, p.14.

GuardedGuardedGuardedGuarded,,,, Norman Lindsay, 1933, Watercolour,

NERAM, Gift of Howard Hinton, 1939.

’’ss FFaavvoouurriittee LLiinnPaintings from the Howard Hinton Collection

Lindsay recalled his lasting personal debt to

‘… not one that can be paid. It is

not concerned with the encouragement from

his buying examples of my work over the

years, though I record gratitude for the

stimulus of his appreciation …. My debt goes

to a certain emanation of the spirit from him

can define only by the bedraggled label

of Faith. Even in the blackest and most

emanation assured one

Between 1914 and 1948 Hinton gave 122

pictures to the National Gallery of New South

Wales, including works by E. Phillips Fox,

Gruner, Tom Roberts

However, when some of

conceived the

centre with an

art collection the equal of anything to be

For this purpose Hinton

chose the Armidale Teachers’ College, making

in 1929. By 1948 Hinton’s

works, and an

lumes.

Howard Hinton, Patron of

Norman Lindsay described

endowment as the only complete collection of

Australian art in the country,

should be acknowledged that as

no patience with Modern art

works are largely unrepresented in the

collection.

Howard Hinton’s original bequest to Armidale

included 13 Norman Lindsay watercolours

of his etchings and 6 pen drawings.

The works chosen for

represent Norman Lindsay’s various

preoccupations, ranging from lusty pirates

and images of sail to mythological fantasies

centred on voluptuous nudes and marvellous

creatures, as well as carousing scenes set in

sunlit Arcadian landscapes.

Happiness, Belshazzarnumbered among Hinton’s

favourites and hung in his bedroom until his

death in 1948.

, Watercolour,

Howard HintonHoward HintonHoward HintonHoward Hinton,,,, George W Lambert, Oil, 1928, AGNSW

nnddssaayyss Paintings from the Howard Hinton Collection

orman Lindsay described Hinton’s

as the only complete collection of

Australian art in the country, although it

should be acknowledged that as Hinton had

odern art styles such

unrepresented in the

original bequest to Armidale

Norman Lindsay watercolours, 5

etchings and 6 pen drawings.

chosen for this exhibition

represent Norman Lindsay’s various

ranging from lusty pirates

and images of sail to mythological fantasies

centred on voluptuous nudes and marvellous

carousing scenes set in

sunlit Arcadian landscapes. Of these,

Happiness, Belshazzar and Guarded among Hinton’s personal

his bedroom until his

W Lambert, Oil, 1928, AGNSW

AA PPaattrroonn’’ss FFaavvoouurriittee LLiinnddssaayyss Paintings from the Howard Hinton Collection

These are some of Lindsay’s best regarded

watercolours. Odysseus, painted in 1928, is

one of the largest works Lindsay attempted,

the size governed by the available

watercolour paper. Lindsay depicts Ulysses,

returning from the Trojan War, his plunging

galley harried by winged sirens.

Featured in this exhibition are three of

Lindsay’s loveliest watercolours. All date from

the early 1930s. A young Margaret Coen

served as the model for Happiness. The

impact of the hauntingly beautiful Guarded derives as much from the intense colour

palette as from intriguing relationship

between the sphinx, her lady and the serpent

who guards them. Hydrangea offers a moody vision when contrasted with the sunlit garden

of Happiness.

Belshazzar, painted in 1932, is an opulent rendering of the biblical story centring on the

king surrounded by wives and concubines.

Both Hot Blood and Careening Cove pursue a pirating theme. Lindsay regarded James Robb,

the model for the central figure in Hot Blood as having the perfect pirate scowl. While

Careening Cove is an actual Sydney harbour

cove this composition is entirely imaginary.

In 1942 there was some correspondence

between Lindsay and Hinton about the

accuracy of the way Lindsay had set his

vessel’s sails. Hinton was nonplussed

however, remarking that ‘personally from the

first time I saw it, I have not wanted any

alteration in the painting, the more I see it the

more I like it, and I am sure the teachers

college…. will welcome it with open arms.’4

Acknowledgments: New England Regional Art Museum, (NERAM) Armidale NSW

Curated by: Amanda Trevillion and Gaye McKenna Special thanks to: Caroline Downer, Helen Glad, Deborah Carmichael, Angela Finocchiaro, Meg Stewart, Selena Siefert, Odana Editions, Ken Francis, Jeff Watson & John Street Norman Lindsay Artworks © H, C and A Glad

NORMAN LINDSAY GALLERY 14 Norman Lindsay Cres, Faulconbridge NSW Tel: (02) 4751 1067 Email: info@normanlindsay.com.au www.normanlindsay.com.au

4 Lin Bloomfield, Norman Lindsay Watercolours 1897-1969, Odana Editions, 2003.

Odysseus, Odysseus, Odysseus, Odysseus, Norman Lindsay, 1928, Watercolour, NERAM,

Gift of Howard Hinton, 1934

BelshazzarBelshazzarBelshazzarBelshazzar , Norman Lindsay, 1934,Watercolour, NERAM, Bequest of Howard Hinton, 1948

AA PPaattrroonn’’ss FFaavvoouurriittee LLiinnddssaayyss Paintings from the Howard Hinton Collection

CATALOGUE –

Sunny DaysSunny DaysSunny DaysSunny Days 1916 Watercolour 28.7 x 25.5 cm NERAM Gift of Howard Hinton, 1947

OdysseusOdysseusOdysseusOdysseus 1928 Watercolour 125 x 100 cm NERAM Gift of Howard Hinton, 1934

HappinessHappinessHappinessHappiness 1933 Watercolour 50.1 x 38 cm NERAM Bequest of Howard Hinton, 1948

GuardedGuardedGuardedGuarded 1933 Watercolour 47.7 x 36.9 cm NERAM Bequest of Howard Hinton, 1948

BelshazzarBelshazzarBelshazzarBelshazzar 1934 Watercolour 46.6 x 40.2 cm NERAM Bequest of Howard Hinton, 1948

HydrangeaHydrangeaHydrangeaHydrangea 1934 Watercolour 37.2 x 27.9cm NERAM Bequest of Howard Hinton, 1948

Hot BloodHot BloodHot BloodHot Blood 1936 Watercolour 37.5 x 43.2 cm NERAM Gift of Howard Hinton, 1938

Careening Cove Careening Cove Careening Cove Careening Cove 1942 Watercolour 57.4 x 44.9 cm NERAM Gift of Howard Hinton, 1942

Study for Happiness Study for Happiness Study for Happiness Study for Happiness 1933 Pencil on Paper 62 x 52 cm NERAM Purchased by Packsaddle Fundraisers 1999

Study for Guarded Study for Guarded Study for Guarded Study for Guarded 1933 Pencil on Paper 58 x 43 cm NERAM Gift of the Packsaddle Fundraisers, 1999

NORMAN LINDSAY GALLERY 14 Norman Lindsay Cres, Faulconbridge NSW 2776

Tel: (02) 4751 1067 Email: info@normanlindsay.com.au

www.normanlindsay.com.au