| CHRONOLOGY |
Norman
Alfred Williams Lindsay (1879-1969) is arguably one of Australia's greatest
artists. He worked in all media — etching, pencil, charcoal, pen
and ink, wash, woodcut, lithograph, watercolour and oil as well as producing
many sculptures, both indoor and for the garden. There are more books
on Norman Lindsay, about Norman Lindsay or illustrated by Norman Lindsay
than any other Australian artist.
Norman Lindsay is well represented in the National Gallery
of Australia as well as every State Gallery plus many regional
galleries in Australia. In November 2002 the magnificent
oil painting Spring's Innocence was
purchased by the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne and is now on
public view.
Norman Lindsay is also well represented by either visual art, illustrated
books or literature in numerous overseas galleries, libraries and public
institutions.
|
| 1879 |
Born 22 February at Creswick,
Victoria. |
| 1885 |
Enrolled at Creswick State School. |
| 1889 |
Received first fee for a drawing, a prize
for Head of a Dog. |
| 1894 |
Enrolled at Creswick Grammar School. Editor
and chief contributor of the school magazine, the Boomerang. |
| 1895 |
Left school in December. |
| 1896 |
Moved to Melbourne to live with brother
Lionel. Illustrator for the weekly, Hawklet. |
| 1897 |
The brothers lived at Chartersville, near
Heidelberg. Lionel started to teach Norman to etch. First attempt at etching,
(Pirates' Captives). |
| c1898 |
Attended life drawing classes in Melbourne
organised by George Coates. Read Nietzsche's Anti-Christ and Zarathustra. |
| 1900 |
Married Catherine (Katie) Parkinson on
23 May. Began series of pen drawings to illustrate the Decameron.
Son Jack born 28 December. |
| 1901 |
Collaborated with John Longstaff on invitation
and program for the opening of first Federal Parliament. Moved to Sydney
to work for the Bulletin. Rented a house at Lavender Bay, first
of several rented houses in the suburbs, and studio in Rowe Street. Joined
by Katie and Jack. |
| 1902 |
Met Rose Soady who began as his model. |
| 1903 |
Katie went to Melbourne for the birth of
son Raymond. Moved studio to Bond Street. Joined Royal Art Society of New
South Wales. |
| 1904 |
Exhibited pen and ink drawing Pollice
Verso at the Royal Art Society provoking first controversy over
work. |
| 1906 |
Living at Lavender Bay. Son Philip born.
Began series of 100 illustrations for Memoirs of Casanova. |
| 1907 |
Joined Society of Artists. Pollice
Verso purchased by the National Gallery of Victoria for 150 guineas,
highest price paid to that time for an Australian pen drawing. First
issue of the Lone Hand published 1 May. |
| 1909 |
Living at Willoughby with Rose. Held successful
exhibitions in Sydney and Melbourne. Sailed for Europe 4 October taking
crated Casanova drawings. Visited Pompeii where he began sketches for the Satyricon.
Arrived London in November and took a studio at Hampstead. Katie and the
children moved to Brisbane. |
| 1910 |
Rose arrived in London in March. Visit
to Paris failed to find a publisher for the Memoirs but Ralph
Straus published the Satyricon of Petronius with 100 illustrations.
Spent weeks sketching ship models at South Kensington Science Museum. |
| 1911 |
Arrived in Melbourne 2 January with Rose.
Returned to Sydney and resumed work for the Bulletin and Lone
Hand. Hospitalised for three months with pleurisy. Convalesced for
six months with Rose in rented houses at Leura and Faulconbridge in the
Blue Mountains. Completed ship model of Cook's Endeavour which
was purchased by the National Gallery of Victoria. |
| 1912 |
Rose purchased a house in Faulconbridge
from Francis Foy which became the family home (known as Springwood). Exhibited
pen and ink drawing The Crucified Venus causing controversy. Built
lower studio by cutting stone from rock face. |
| 1913 |
Began outdoor sculpture. Father, Dr Lindsay,
staying. |
| 1914 |
Brother Daryl staying. First war cartoon, The
War God of Europe, published in the Bulletin 13 August.
Built swimming pool at Springwood. |
| 1915 |
Built model of medieval Paris as background
for series illustrations to the poems of Villon. |
| 1917 |
Brother Reg killed on the Somme. First
rift with Lionel. Published first etching, The Fan. |
| 1918 |
Divorced by Katie. |
| 1919 |
First one-man show of etchings in Sydney
and Melbourne. Built a second studio at Springwood, converting the first
for etching. |
| 1920 |
Married Rose. Daughter Jane born. |
| 1921 |
Joined Painter-Etchers Society. |
| 1922 |
Daughter Helen (Honey) born. Rift with
Lionel became permanent. |
| 1923 |
Represented at the Society of Artists Exhibition
in London where subject matter of his works aroused controversy. Critic
Sir William Orpen derided Norman's works. Ceased working for the Bulletin. |
| 1924 |
Eleven works exhibited during Artists Week
in Adelaide provoked a furore. Nellie Melba visited Springwood. |
| 1925 |
Sons Jack, Ray and Phil now living in Sydney,
visited frequently. Fanfrolico Press launched with Jack and John Kirtley.
Will Dyson staying. |
| 1926 |
Jack moved to London. Built courtyard at
back of house at Springwood. |
| 1927 |
Designed sphinx radiator cap in collaboration
with sculptor Rayner Hoff which became Springwood logo. Built wisteria
walk. |
| 1928 |
Phil moved to London. Brian Penton staying. |
| 1930 |
Etching Self-Portrait caused police
raid on publishing house, volumes confiscated. furore with attendant publicity. |
| 1931 |
Visited America with Rose, leaving 23 July.
Wrote and illustrated articles for American publications. |
| 1932 |
Sailed for England in January with Rose.
With Brian Penton and P.R. ('Inky') Stephensen worked to establish a publishing
company for Australian books. Returned to Australia with Rose in April.
Resumed work for the Bulletin. Inky Stephensen arrived in September
to collaborate in launching Endeavour Press for which Norman designed a
ship symbol. |
| 1933 |
Marriage to Rose foundering. Divided time
between Springwood and Sydney where he stayed at the Hotel Wentworth. |
| 1934 |
Left Springwood and moved into a studio
at 12 Bridge Street, Sydney. Began seriously painting in oils. |
| 1938 |
Published last etching, Visitors to
Hell. |
| 1940 |
Rose sailed for America with honey and
her husband Bruce Glad taking sixteen crates of Norman's drawings, etchings
and paintings. Retained Bridge Street studio to paint from the model but
returned to live at Springwood with daughter Jane. |
| 1941 |
Almost all of Norman's works taken to America
destroyed by a fire on a train in Pennsylvania. |
| 1947 |
Honey went to live in America in December. |
| 1949 |
Jane acquired the etching studio at Springwood
and built a house around it. |
| 1956 |
Gave up lease on the Bridge Street studio. |
| 1958 |
Son Philip died. Exhibition of two hundred
etchings exhibited at David Jones Art Gallery in Sydney, 12-25 November. |
| 1960 |
Son Raymond died. |
| 1968 |
Built last fountain, his only work in cast
cement. |
| 1969 |
Donated collection of work to the University
of Melbourne School of Architecture in January. Died in hospital on 21
November. |
| 1973 |
National Trust Norman Lindsay Gallery and
Museum at Faulconbridge opened to the public on 25 February. |
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