Reference: A work sold at McKenzie’s Auctions, WA, July, 2012. lot 115:Lot 115 Florence Ada Fuller 1867 - 1946
Original title, most likely; “A Golden Hour”, c.1905
Oil on canvas
Signed lower right
108.5 x 133.5cm
$25,000 – 35,000
Provenance:
Apparently a retirement gift to
Professor W.D.L. Ride AM, upon his retirement as
director of the Western Australian Museum, from
the Trustees.
Then by descent within his family.
Previously, very likely within the family of
Sir John Winthrop Hackett.
Related Work:
Portrait of Deborah Vernon Hackett, c.1905
Sold 2005 by McKenzies Auctioneers and in the
collection of The National Portrait Gallery, Canberra
Florence Ada Fuller, born South Africa, arrived in
Melbourne as a child. After studying at Julien’s
in Paris 1894 – 1901, she settled in Perth in 1904.
She seemed to be successful both as an artist and
teacher in Perth, two of her best known pupils being
Daisy Rossi and Kathleen O’Connor.
She also had success overseas. Her work being
exhibited at London’s Royal Academy, the Manchester
City Gallery, The Royal Institute of Oil Painters, London
and the Paris Salon.
The Western Australian newspaper often reported on
art events of the time. Fuller’s exhibition history and
comings and goings received good coverage.
A review looking back over the previous 30 years,
appeared on October 23, 1937. In part, it states;
“------- Sir John Winthrop Hackett was a patron of
Miss Fuller and was a constant visitor to her dignified
studio, above his office in the old West Australian
Chambers.” The article goes on to say Hackett
commissioned many paintings from her for his gallery.
The current owners assert that Professor Ride always
understood the figures in the picture were
Sir John Winthrop Hackett, (then owner of The West
Australian newspaper, well known business man and
philanthropist, whose gift allowed the construction of
the impressive University of Western Australia buildings
and St. George’s Residential College) and his new
wife, Deborah Vernon Hackett, (1887 – 1965), nee
Drake-Brockman.
An article on page 3, Tuesday 31 October 1905, within
The West Australian newspaper, gives a review of
Fuller’s studio exhibition.
On show were forty-one of her artworks. After
mentioning various works, it goes on to state;
“----- the piece de resistance of the exhibition is
undoubtedly that catalogued as, A Golden Hour.”
The article goes on to say the picture “is dedicated to
the golden glories of the late afternoon,” and is of large
scale.
The review comments on the light, the balance, the
figures, the native vegetation and, the “blackboys”, as
well as the white gum trees. It concludes by saying of
the picture that it succeeds, “in catching the wonderful
glow of what is known to artists as the most transitory
period of the day.”
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