Percival Albert (Percy) Trompf Australia, 1902-64

Percival Albert (Percy) Trompf (1902-1964) was an Australian commercial artist best known for his travel posters, books, advertising hoardings and pamphlets promoting the nation's tourist industry and Australian and international corporations and companies. His colour lithography was recognised as distinctive during his career and since, Art Deco in style, and innovative in its use of flat colour. Trompf was born on 30 May 1902 in Beaufort, Victoria. His family later moved to Ballarat, and he was educated at Sebastopol Primary School. He became one of the earliest students at the Ballarat School of Mines' Ballarat Technical Art School where he left with his certificate in 1917. In 1923, Trompf moved to Melbourne and joined the commercial art firm of Giles & Richards. He remained with the firm for two years, before setting up his own studio in 1925. Trompf's early work was largely in the field of advertising, and he designed posters and hoardings for a variety of clients, including the Australian National Travel Association, the Victorian Railways, and the Queensland Government Tourist Bureau. He also designed chocolate boxes and wrappings for the confectioners A. W. Allen Pty Ltd. In the 1930s, Trompf's work began to focus more on travel posters. His posters were characterised by their bold colours, simple designs, and evocative imagery. They were highly successful in promoting Australia to tourists both domestically and internationally. Trompf's posters for the Australian National Travel Association are particularly well-known, and they continue to be reproduced and admired today. In addition to his travel posters, Trompf also designed a number of books and pamphlets. Trompf's work was highly acclaimed during his lifetime. He was awarded the Gold Medal at the International Poster Biennale in Paris in 1937, and he was made a Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Painters in 1954. Percy Trompf died in 1964 at the age of 62. His work is held in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia, the National Library of Australia, and the State Library of Victoria and his posters are also highly prized by collectors.

We have records of art auction sales by Percy Trompf from 1994 and in total 26 works by the artist have been offered for sale, of which 19 (73%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $26,402 for Australia. 1929 sold by Swann Auction Galleries in November 2015. No works have been offered for sale this year, and the last sale we have recorded for the artist was in 2017. Works by Percy Trompf are held by the National Gallery of Australia and Art Gallery of NSW.