Lot 2

Private collection, Melbourne
Deutscher and Hackett, Melbourne, 25 November 2009, lot 130
Private collection, Melbourne

Born in Ballarat in 1884, Hilda Rix Nicholas was an influential Australian artist known for her unique blend of nationalist sentiment and technical insights into French impressionism and post-impressionism, particularly during the period between the First and Second World Wars. From 1902 to 1905, she studied at the Melbourne National Gallery School under Frederick McCubbin. Encouraged by family friend Arthur Streeton, she left Melbourne in March 1907 to further her studies in London and Paris.

Etaples, a fishing village in Picardy, was well known as an artists' colony, popular with both Americans and Australians. Hilda first visited Etaples in July 1910 and stayed for six months. She returned every summer after until the outbreak of the First World War, establishing herself there during the summer and autumn.

Her time in Picardy was marked by a distinctive approach to her artwork. She avoided fussiness, often constructing her pictures in parts by recording incidents in isolation and then assembling the whole drawing later in her studio. Her coloured drawings possessed a sense of spontaneity and liveliness, with an intuitive understanding of coloured pastels and their potential.

'An Artist's Colony in Picardy', highlights the strength of her draughtsmanship and the vibrancy of her colours, animating the scene with a pictorial energy that set her apart from other artists working in Etaples. Drawing in the open air and capturing her unsuspecting subjects as they shopped provided her with a wealth of material and inspiration.

Hilda Rix Nicholas's years in Picardy were formative, allowing her to expand her creative possibilities and establish herself as one of the most successful Australian artists of her time. Her exposure to Europe's influential art movements during this period had a profound impact on her oeuvre, leading to a distinguished career that continued to evolve in the years following.

Hannah Ryan
Art Specialist