Blue Plaque honours leading artist Sir William Dobell
Ground-breaking Australian artist Sir William Dobell will be honoured for his impact on the art world with a Blue Plaque, in the second round of the popular heritage project. The plaque will be installed in Wangi Wangi on Lake Macquarie just south of Newcastle in the coming months.
Sir William lived from 1899 to 1970 and was a three-time winner of the Archibald Prize for portraiture. His first Archibald win in 1943 was challenged by conservative artists in the Supreme Court, who called it a distorted caricature, not a portrait. Many thought the legal challenge was driven by the artists’ fear of the change modernism was bringing to the art world.
Born in Cooks Hill in Newcastle in 1899, Dobell undertook an early apprenticeship to a Newcastle architect before moving to Sydney in 1924, where he enrolled in what is now the Julian Ashton Art School.
In 1929 a scholarship took him to England and in 1930 he won first prize for figure painting at Slade School of Fine in London. In 1931 he moved to Belgium and Paris, and after 10 years in Europe, he returned to Australia in 1939 with an Expressionist painting style.
After his contentious 1943 win and public court case – which ruled in his favour – Dobell retreated from the spotlight, finding solace at Wangi Wangi on Lake Macquarie where he painted landscapes before gradually returning to portraiture.
Nominated by the Sir William Dobell Memorial Committee Inc, Dobell’s Blue Plaque was chosen from 117 nominations made by the public and assessed by independent historians.The 14 new Blue Plaques will be installed in coming months, joining the 35 already in place.
Heritage NSW is working with experts and potential property owners to finalise this plaque’s location and once installed it will be listed on the Blue Plaques NSW website.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Heritage Penny Sharpe:
“This round of Blue Plaques recognises the diverse individuals, events and perspectives that make the history of NSW so intriguing.
“Whether you’re exploring city suburbs or taking a drive off the beaten track to regional towns like Grafton and Pambula, there’s a Blue Plaque for you to discover.
“The installation of each new plaque brings added interest to the heritage of an area, encouraging locals to explore their backyards, and inviting those from further afield to learn more about the history of these communities.”
Quotes attributable to Independent Member for Lake Macquarie Greg Piper:
“I'm thrilled to see Sir William Dobell being honoured with this Blue Plaque, recognising an artistic journey that began in Newcastle.
“This Blue Plaque not only acknowledges Dobell's artistic brilliance, inspiring future generations to embrace creativity, but also pays tribute to the resilience he demonstrated in the face of legal challenges.
“By celebrating Dobell with this blue plaque, we honour his connection to Wangi Wangi, where he sought solace and created iconic works. The plaque will serve as a reminder of Dobell's enduring impact on our community and the wider art world.”
Full list of round two Blue Plaques
| Subject | Recognition | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Kathleen Butler | A woman without formal engineering qualifications who had a central role in the development of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. | Sydney CBD |
| Emma Jane Callaghan | Aboriginal midwife, activist, nurse, and Indigenous Culture Recorder. | Phillip Bay, Sydney |
| Susan Katherina Schardt | Born blind, Schardt established the Commonwealth Home for Destitute Invalids, now known as Royal Rehab. | Ryde |
| Dorothy Simpson McGregor Drain | One of the first Australian female war correspondents, who reported on the Korean and Vietnam Wars. She was also a poet, columnist, and Editor of the Australian Women’s Weekly. | Glebe |
| Establishment of the first recorded life savers club | Founded in February 1907, the Bondi Surf Life Saving Club was the first recorded Surf Lifesaving Club in Australia. | Bondi |
| Sir William Dobell | A portrait and landscape artist and three-time winner of the Archibald Prize. | Wangi Wangi |
| Syms Covington | A cabin boy on the HMS Beagle who became assistant to Charles Darwin. Syms later worked as a businessman and postmaster in Pambula. | Pambula |
| Charmian Clift | A prolific writer and essayist. | Kiama |
| Pearl Mary Gibbs | A prominent female activist in the Aboriginal rights movement, Gibbs was heavily involved in the development of the Day of Mourning and the establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. | Sydney CBD |
| Ioannis (Jack) and Antonios (Tony) Notaras | Greek immigrant businessmen known for establishing Grafton’s still-thriving Saraton Theatre. | Grafton |
| Beryl Mary McLaughlin | One of the first three women graduates of the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Architecture. | Wentworth Falls |
| Ken Thomas | Trucker and entrepreneur known for establishing the TNT transport empire and for his contributions to road safety. | Murrumburrah |
| Grace Emily Munro | Co-founder and first president of the Country Women’s Association. | Bingara |
| First release of myxomatosis | The CSIRO released myxomatosis in Balldale in 1950, to combat a severe rabbit problem. It was the world’s first successful biological program for control of a mammalian pest. | Balldale |