Lot 7

Please contact the Art Department for a condition report on this lot.


The opinions expressed in the condition reports are a guide only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Prospective buyers are encouraged to physically inspect item, or book a virtual viewing or request further images during our pre-sale period where Leonard Joel staff are available for advice.
Please note condition reports can be amended during the pre-sale period, so we strongly suggest any interested bidders check the published condition report available on the website before the auction commences. Leonard Joel makes no guarantee of the originality of mechanical or applied components. Absence of reference to such modifications does not imply that a lot is free from modifications.

The Collection of Mr and Mrs Charles Ruwolt, New South Wales
Leonard Joel, The Charles Ruwolt Collection of Australian Paintings, Melbourne, 17 November 1966, lot 29
The Collection of Claude Ruwolt
The Collection of Louise Ruwolt, Victoria

Hans Heysen (1877-1968) was a personal favourite of Charles Ruwolt. Heysen's signature images of majestic river gums, sheep, cattle and drovers bathed in an intense light are a highlight of 20th century depictions of the Australian bush and landscape. Ruwolt and Heysen were both child immigrants of German heritage who settled in South Australia in 1877 and 1883 respectively. Ruwolt acquired one of Heysen's masterpieces from the Society Gallery, Melbourne, in 1926. Entitled The South Coast 1926, this large and panoramic view of Victor Harbor was priced at a handsome 250 guineas, the most expensive artwork in the show. (1)

Charles and Emily Ruwolt were equally attracted to Heysen's watercolours, a medium Heysen made uniquely his own. Drover and Cattle 1917 and The River 1920 show the full range of Heysen's expressive power and his affiliation with the Australian pastoral tradition in art. In the former, a rural worker ambles down a bush track instinctively and protectively guiding a small mob of cattle - the grand old red gum is a signpost, providing a note of timelessness, while subtle natural light envelops the scene in life-affirming pink and golden hues.

The River, in contrast, focuses on a small nook, a bend in the river surrounded by the majesty of the riverside gums. Probably referred to as Sheep at Billabong in the 1966 catalogue (but included in a loan exhibition as The River), it is equal in quality to a slightly larger watercolour entitled The River, Autumn Morning 1920 that sold for $46,000 AUD in 2018. (2) The mauve modality of The River contrasts with the latter's bluish and more heavily laden atmosphere. It is an essay in the tranquillity and productivity of nature and our place in it.

Of the works currently on offer, nearly all, including the two Heysens, maintain a strong tie with the 1966 Leonard Joel auction, having either passed down through direct descent or been bought by family members. They represent a rare opportunity to partake in the fruits of one Australian family's passions and endeavour.

Rodney James

(1) Exhibition of paintings by Hans Heysen, Society Gallery, Melbourne, 1926, cat. No. 1.
(2) The River, Autumn Morning, 1920, watercolour, signed lower left, dated 1920, 52 x 65 cm, Elder Fine Art, Australian & International Paintings, Adelaide, 18/11/2018, Lot No. 18.

© Hans Heysen/Copyright Agency 2022