BYRNE, HAROLD (1899-1966)

“Garden Party” (c.1930)
Oil on panel
20 x 25m
Details on verso
*estate of the late Harold Byrne
*private collection, Sydney
 
Harold Byrne was an early 20th century Australian printmaker, illustrator, and teacher. He was well known for his figure studies of ballerinas. An exhibition of his work was held at the Industrial Arts Society’s Gallery in Sydney in November 1937. Featured in the exhibition were six aquatints of ballerinas, inspired by the Russian Ballet’s Australian tours in the 1930s. Byrne’s fascination with capturing the fragmentary movements of ballerinas was reflected in the Fragonard Press publication, The Spirit of the Ballet (1937). The book contained ten illustrations by the artist that were printed using copper plates, etched from sketches and notes Byrne had made whilst watching the performances of Col. De Basil’s Monte Carlo Russian Ballet, which toured Australia in 1936-37. His art is represented in Australian collections including the University of Melbourne and the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.