David Davies Australia, 1864-1939
Past Sales
Sales by Medium
Where to buy or sell art works by David Davies
Auction Houses
About David Davies
Born at Ballarat in 1863, David Davies studied extensively in Australia at the Ballarat School and the National Gallery School, Melbourne, and with Jean Paul Laurens in Paris. After three years in France, he returned to Australia in 1893, living at Templestowe, where he began his famous moonrise series. At this time he was closely associated with the Heidelberg School. His taste for dim light was rather unusual and he did not share the interest of other Australian impressionist artists in brilliant light and sharply defined shadows. He returned to Europe in 1897 living in Dieppe for the next 42 years. Exhibited at the Old and New Salon, the Royal Academy, New England Art Club and the Carnegie Institute.
The total number of works by David Davies offered for sale by auction since 1966 is 291, of which 183 (63%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $420,000 for The Season of Storm, Stress and Toil 18,95 (Evening Templestowe) sold by Leonard Joel in November 1986. No works have been offered for sale this year, and the last sale we have recorded for the artist was in 2023. Works by David Davies are held by the National Gallery of Victoria, National Gallery of Australia and a further six major public national galleries (see list below).
David Davies is listed in the following standard biographical references:
- McCulloch, Alan McCulloch, Susan McCulloch, Emily McCulloch-Childs. The New McCulloch's Encyclopedia of Australian Art. 4th Edition, Aus Art Melbourne & The Miegunyah Press, 2006. Page 367
- Campbell, Jean. Australian Watercolour Painters: 1780 to the Present Day. Craftsman House, Sydney, 1989. Page 302
- Dictionary of Australian Artists Online, an online resource for biographical data about Australian artists, designers, craftspeople and curators.
- Australian Prints + Printmaking, a database listing printmaking artists from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region based on the print collection of the National Gallery of Australia.
Artists' Resale Royalty
Could the second and subsequent works by this artist sold after June 9, 2010 for over $1,000 be liable for the Artists' Resale Royalty? More info…
No, ineligible. The artist has been deceased for more than 70 years.
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