HELE, Sir IVOR (1912 -1993)

"Bacchus" (1927)
etching
cm
signed lower right
*private collection, Brisbane
 
Sir Ivor Hele CBE was an award-winning Australian Modernist, Portraitist & War Artist. He was Australia's longest serving and decorated War Artist. In 1924 he started studies at the South Australian School of Arts and Crafts. He was awarded three first class certificates at the Royal Drawing Society's Art Exhibition in 1924, and Princess Louise's Prize at their exhibition the following year. In 1926 he was admitted to the South Australian Society of Arts, their youngest member. In 1927, encouraged by his tutor Marie Tuck, the 15-year-old Ivor sailed to Europe, where he studied drawing and painting for six months at the academy run by Louis-François Biloul in Paris, and another six months at the summer school run by Moritz Heymann at Reichersbeuern, Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen in the Bavaria Alps. He returned to Australia early in 1930. Hele enlisted as a private soldier in the 2nd AIF and in June 1940 sailed for the Middle East with the 2/48th Battalion, 9th Australian Division. He was appointed an official war artist on 11 October 1941 with the rank of captain. Apart from the figure studies and war scenes held by the Australian War Memorial for which he is best known, and the many portraits, Ivor Hele painted many landscapes, particularly of the rugged South Australian coast, and a great number of erotic drawings. The National Gallery of Australia holds around 130 of his works, mostly minor pieces, and the Art Gallery of South Australia a few dozen. He won countless National Art Prizes and his works are represented in all Major National Galleries.
 
This unique etching was completed when studying in Germany, inspired by the Secessionist Movement. Hele produced only a handful of etchings, so this is an incredibly RARE piece!!