Born in Penza, Russia in 1910, Mednis studied at the Riga School of Art, Latvia, before his arrival in Australia in 1949, after which he studied at the Melbourne Art Gallery School under William Dargie. He moved to Adelaide in in 1951 and undertook further study at the S. A. School of Art. He took up painting full time in in 1966 and has been commisiioned to produce murals for many public and private buildings. A painter of draughtsman-like qualities, he worked in several media, frequently painting cityscapes and marine subjects and won several awards. Between 1950-71, he held more than 40 Exhibitions in Aust and USA.
The earliest auction listing we have for Karlis Mednis is in 1973 and in total 194 works by the artist have been offered for sale, of which 132 (68%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $1,100 for Rushcutters Bay, Sydney Harbour sold by Leonard Joel in April 1989. No works have been offered for sale this year, and the last sale we have recorded for the artist was in 2022. Works by Karlis Mednis are held by the Ian Potter Museum of Art.
Karlis Mednis is listed in the following standard biographical references:
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…
Yes, eligible, subject to the artist satisfying the residency test. The artist is alive or has been deceased for less than 70 years. Contact the Copyright Agency for information on the residency test.
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