Lot 64

Gifted to Senator Harrie Wade from artist Rex Battarbee in the late 1950s during a trip to the Northern Territory
Wade Family collection, Melbourne
Thence by descent
Leonard Joel, Melbourne, 24 March 2015, lot 120
Private collection, Victoria

"The background of the painting dates back to the late 1950s when Geoff, my husband's father Senator Harrie Wade, was on a Parliamentary trip to the Northern Territory. Here he met with the journalist Douglas Lockwood, they were already friends having both come from Natimuk via Horsham in Western Victoria. Douglas introduced Senator Wade to Rex Battarbee, who was very grateful for Senator Wade's interest and help in indigenous welfare, and assisting Albert with a personal matter. Rex gave Senator Wade one of his prints of Simpson's Gap painted in 1956 as well as an unsigned Albert Namatjira original painting. Geoff believes it was one of the last that Albert painted. Senator Wade also purchased an original painting by Gabriel Namatjira who was a student of Rex and nephew of Albert." - From Sarah Wade, wife of Geoff Wade, son of Senator Harrie Wade