Design and Art Australia Online

painter and graphic artist. Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, holds Cigarette Queue, Kings Cross 1942 and Three Tarty Ladies (not dated), both pen and ink, acq. 1973. Also an official war drawing of Garden Island Graving Dock barrowman c.1943, C.C.C. worker scratching his head , pen and ink, and a ballpoint self portrait (not dated), one of 40 drawings selected from the artist’s estate.

Dobell drew magazine illustrations to make money when he was in London in the 1930s. Mary Eagle records that Dobell told his biographer James Gleeson 'that the editors of illustrated magazines only wanted corny jokes about sailors and pretty women’. She notes a drawing in cartoon style in one of his sketchbooks (c.1933, National Gallery of Australia [NGA]) showing a Salvation Army officer peering through a bathroom keyhole and saying to a fellow officer, “Quick Joey! Play the National Anthem!” He also designed posters, e.g. Orient Line to Australia (NGA). His paintings, of course, were accused of being caricatures, especially the Archibald Prize winning portrait of Joshua Smith.

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Writers:

Kerr, Joan

Date written:

1996

Last updated:

2007