William Arthur Byram Mansell b. 1893

  • Artist (Ceramist),
  • Artist (Sculptor),
  • Artist (Draughtsman),
  • Designer (Theatre / Film Designer),
  • Artist (Painter)
Mansell was a painter, illustrator and theatre designer whose work diverse artistic practices, which ranged from painting to set design, were influenced by his interest in Aboriginal art. Mural designs by him are also known.
Tags: muralist, painter, sculptor, ceramic design
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Painter, illustrator and designer, was born in Sydney in 1893 (see Australian Dictionary of Biography, 15). His interest in Aboriginal art as a source of general nationalistic art was inspired by materials collected by Sir Baldwin Spencer on various expeditions (especially Museum of Victoria) and by a set of Arnhem Land photographs obtained from C.P. Mountford (from expedition?) in 1948. His study of them led to prints, paintings, watercolours, fabrics, scarves, greeting cards, ceramic murals and even furniture in which 'rich colours “dug from the earth, powdered to a fine powder, mixed with cactus juice” were applied to works with a parrot feather brush’ (Baddelely). Baddeley catalogues his Motifs from NSW Aboriginal weapons 1949, watercolour on cardboard (private collection [p.c.]), The White Moth, Part 3 , n.d., pen and ink on paper (p.c.), The Kangaroo Hunt – Australian Aboriginal Legend n.d., gouache on paper (p.c.), Coo-ee! n.d. , gouache on paper (p.c.), Honey Ants Nest 1950, mixed media on paper (p.c.), and Ingar the Crab 1950, mixed media on paper (p.c.).

Mansell also painted murals and did theatrical designs. He designed the sets (and costumes?) for The Kulaman 1952, with music by Alfred Hill and words by W.E. Harvey & A.P. Elkin (sheet music in the Performing Arts Museum, Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne). In 1956 he presented a large pottery dish with Aboriginal motifs and [some] colours to Dame Mary Gilmore on the occasion of her 91st birthday (now National Library of Australia [NLA]: see Joan Kerr, essay in Remarkable Occurrences , NLA, 2001).

Writers:
Staff Writer
Date written:
1996
Last updated:
2007

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References [<ExternalResource: 'NSW Marriage Records : 10652/1928; 7654/1892'.>, <ExternalResource: 'NSW Birth Records : 39627/1893'.>, <ExternalResource: Rourke, Arianne (2000), 'Mansell, William Arthur Byram (1893 - 1977)', Melbourne, Vic : Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15, Melbourne University Press, p. 299.>, <ExternalResource: Baddeley, Claire (editor) (1999), 'Motif & meaning - Aboriginal influences in Australian art, 1930-1970', Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Ballarat, Vic.>, <ExternalResource: Terry, Martin (1986), 'Aboriginality in the art of Byram Mansell', Art and Australia, Volume 24, Issue 1, Spring, pages 86 ff.>, <ExternalResource: (1955), Sydney Morning Herald, April, 23.>, <ExternalResource: (1953), Women's Day and Home, January, 5, page 53.>, <ExternalResource: Kerr, Joan (2001), 'Strange Objects', Remarkable Occurrences: The National Library of Australia's First 100 Years, 1901-2001: NLA, Canberra, ACT (ed. Peter Cochrane).>, <ExternalResource: Mural designs, Australian landscape. Australian and Intl Art, Josef Lebovic Gallery, Collectors' list no.192, 2018, p.18. Lebovic records 1/River Farm Lands; 2/Palm Valley; 3/The Great Inland; 4/The Golden Dawn. Labels by artist for commission for maritime vessel, ca.1960. "Painted with colours dug in Central Australia">] [<ExternalResource: 'NSW Marriage Records : 10652/1928; 7654/1892'.>, <ExternalResource: 'NSW Birth Records : 39627/1893'.>, <ExternalResource: Rourke, Arianne (2000), 'Mansell, William Arthur Byram (1893 - 1977)', Melbourne, Vic : Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15, Melbourne University Press, p. 299.>, <ExternalResource: Baddeley, Claire (editor) (1999), 'Motif & meaning - Aboriginal influences in Australian art, 1930-1970', Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Ballarat, Vic.>, <ExternalResource: Terry, Martin (1986), 'Aboriginality in the art of Byram Mansell', Art and Australia, Volume 24, Issue 1, Spring, pages 86 ff.>, <ExternalResource: (1955), Sydney Morning Herald, April, 23.>, <ExternalResource: (1953), Women's Day and Home, January, 5, page 53.>, <ExternalResource: Kerr, Joan (2001), 'Strange Objects', Remarkable Occurrences: The National Library of Australia's First 100 Years, 1901-2001: NLA, Canberra, ACT (ed. Peter Cochrane).>]