COLAHAN, COLIN (1897-1987)

"Actress Carmen Manley" (1948) 
oil on canvas
76 x 63cm
signed lower left
*private collection, London
 
Colahan was a premier Australian Portraitist & Tonalist. While a student in Melbourne, Colahan joined Max Meldrum's school of painting and subsequently became a key figure of the Australian tonalist movement. In 1937 he joined and exhibited with Robert Menzies' Australian Academy of Art. His work can be found in the collections of the state galleries of Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. He was appointed an Australian official war artist in 1942. Carmen Manley (nee Lawrence) (1931-1975) was a pioneering Jamaican writer, actress, & television & radio broadcaster. Born in Panama, South America of Jamaican parents, she resided for some time in England & wrote scripts for television & radio. Manley was the author of children’s stories, which were illustrated by Winnie Risden & wrote, The Land of Wood & Water (1961), which was illustrated by fellow Anglo-Jamaican critic and sculptor Edna Manley.  Carmen Manley produced a collection of short stories entitled, The Isle of Springs (1968), & received several awards from the Jamaican Festival Competition for plays such as Chi Chi Bad’s Love (1967) & My Father’s Keeper (1967) amongst others. However, Manley was best known for her marriage to Dr Douglas Manley in 1949, son of Jamaican Prime Minister, Norman Manley. She was also sister-in-law of future & arguably Jamaica's greatest Prime Minister, Michael Manley, whom succeeded in preventing Civil War in Jamaica with the help of Bob Marley & his One Love Peace Concert in 1978. Manley was also the sole inspiration for Monty Norman's theme "Underneath The Mango Tree" produced for the first James Bond Film, "Dr. No" (1962) shot in Jamaica (Manley pictured with Sean Connery image 4). Sadly, Carmen passed away tragically at age 44 from cancer, in London in 1975. Colahan painted Manley on two occasions whilst she toured with the 'Negro Theatre Company', the other version (image 2) is part of the Geelong Gallery permanent collection. This incredible portrait comes from a private London collection!!