Castlemaine Art Museum (CAM) has recently spotlighted an overlooked masterpiece by Australian artist Mary Meyer (1878–1975).
This untitled oil painting, tucked away in the museum’s collection, has sparked new interest in Meyer’s work, which has long been underrepresented in Australian art history.
Castlemaine Art Museum guide James McArdle shared his reflections on the work, and the artist behind it.
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“Little known and represented in few of the major texts on Australian impressionist painters, her work has only recently been appearing at auction; perhaps a hopeful sign of her re-evaluation,” McArdle writes.
“Because she was wealthy, Mary painted for pleasure, feeling no need to exhibit, her only solo show being a retrospective at the Lyceum Club of which she was a founder. She bequeathed to public galleries 300 works from her collection, paintings by Bunny, Streeton, Fox, Heyson, Roberts and others. Her own work remained obscure.
“Indeed, Mary’s name is only recorded in two group shows; a 1916 auction of artworks in support of the French Red Cross, and the 1907 First Exhibition of Women’s Work at the Exhibition Buildings at which she won Best Seascape for another waterside image; A Sorrento Lime Boat painted that year (and now in the National Gallery of Australia collection).”
Do you have a reflection on the Castlemaine Art Museum’s collection that you would like to share with the community? Expressions of interest are welcome via [email protected].
Check out the other exhibitions and events at Castlemaine Art Museum here.
