William Frederick (Will) Longstaff Australia, Britain, 1879-1953
Past Sales
Sales by Medium
Where to buy or sell art works by Bill Longstaff
Auction Houses
About Bill Longstaff
Born in Ballarat in 1879, Will Longstaff, a cousin of Sir John Longstaff, began painting while serving in the Boer War. During World War I he was appointed an official war artist with the AIF, and after the war painted a series of pictures for the Australian National War Museum, now the Australian War Memorial. He is best known for his large paintings of fallen soldiers popular at the time as a remembrance amongst those who had lost a loved one during the war. He is represented by numerous works held by the Australian War Memorial.
The total number of works by Will Longstaff offered for sale by auction since 1971 is 275, of which 200 (73%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $72,000 for 'The Rearguard (The Spirit of Anzac)' sold by Bonhams in June 2010. No works have been offered for sale this year, and the last sale we have recorded for the artist was in 2023. Works by Will Longstaff are held by the Australian War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia and National Portrait Gallery.
Bill Longstaff 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 626
- Campbell, Jean. Australian Watercolour Painters: 1780 to the Present Day. Craftsman House, Sydney, 1989. Page 336
- The Find New Zealand Artists web site: a database of artist names that directs researchers to the rich resources found in New Zealand's libraries, art society exhibition histories and published sources.
- 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…
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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