Lot 41

In good condition with no visible signs of repair or damage, underwent professional conservation in 2002 to remove acidic mount and reframe under UV filtering acrylic/glass.
(80.5 x 65cm framed)


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The Artist
Dr & Mrs Edward (Teddy) Wilson, Hunters Hill, gift of the artist's family, 1980's
Mrs Margaret Reid, Sydney
Goodmans, Sydney, 11th National Art Auction, 18 November 2002, lot 153
Private collection, Sydney

Shipwreck with Sea Nymphs fuses three of Lindsay's most favoured subjects in its full, swirling composition - creatures from classical mythology, the feminine figure, and naval crafts.

Born in 1879, much of Lindsay's artistic inspiration was derived from children's' adventure stories that remained with him from when he was confined indoors until the age of 6 due to a rare blood disorder. It was here he began his life-long fascination with ships, studying them arduously and making model ship-building a life-long hobby. Piracy was a subject that he and his brother Lionel shared a passion for, many of Norman's early works being imaginative piratical compositions.

During the summer of 1897-98 Norman, Lionel and artist-musician Ernest Moffitt retreated to a cottage they shared near Heidelberg. Here Moffitt pushed Lindsay to uncover his own artistic voice, introducing him to Greek poetry and the pre-Raphaelite works of Frederick Sandys which made an indelible impression on Lindsay. Foregoing the traditional values imparted on him by his mother, he began to live a seemingly bohemian life and his works reflect this - the influence of Nietzsche in particular, with his anti-Christian, overtly sensual and passionate approach is evident in Lindsay's life and art from this point on.

Classical mythology became a constant source of inspiration for Lindsay. From a young age he was fascinated by Greek gods and literature, in particular Homer's The Odyssey and legends such as the lost world of Atlantis. His childhood home Lisnacrieve in Creswick was stocked with classical books and conversation with his 9 siblings and parents was robust. Norman's brother Daryl has recounted that "…there was nothing exceptional in the old rambling house, money not plentiful, books everywhere, … thanks to uncensored reading the children grew to maturity with a natural appreciation for good classical books". (1)

In Greek mythology, the sea nymphs (or Nereids and more commonly, mermaids) are spirits of the water living in the Mediterranean Sea. All 50 sisters and daughters of the wise Nereus, called by Homer "Old Man of the Sea" are often found in the company of Poseidon, the god of the sea. As opposed to Sirens and their desire to lure sailors to their death with their song (another favoured subject of Lindsay's), sea nymphs in art and literature are reported as the beautiful protectors of sailors and fisherman, aiding those in distress. The most famous appearance of a sea nymph in literature is that of Calypso, who in Homer's The Odyssey, kept Odysseus against his will on her island of Ogygia for seven years.

In Shipwreck with Sea Nymphs, a swarm of spirited sea nymphs excitedly play amongst darting fish on the ocean bed. Their laughter echoes through the wreck of a once-noble ship which, in its fossilised, submarine state is perhaps more eerily sublime than it was above water.

Marcella Fox | Sydney Manager

(1) Creswick Museum, The Legendary Lindsay's, https://www.creswickmuseum.org.au/trail/the-legendary-lindsays/