Antonio Dattilo-Rubbo: a charismatic teacher’s work in focus

By David Hulme & Brigitte Banziger, on 30-May-2011

An exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW pays homage to the legendary Australian art teacher, mentor and artist Antonio Dattilo-Rubbo (1870 – 1955). He taught many of the Sydney Moderns, including Grace Cossington Smith, Roy de Maistre and Roland Wakelin. His influence on Australian art history can’t be underestimated and includes the founding of the Manly Art Gallery.

Now in the collection of the AGNSW: Antonio Dattilo-Rubbo, ‘Poverty makes Strange Bedfellows’, oil on canvas on board, signed, inscribed and dated upper left: A. Dattilo Rubbo, Sydney, 1905, 76 x 137 cm

I was most surprised to see Dattilo-Rubbo’s social realist painting ‘Poverty Makes Strange Bedfellows’, 1905, listed as ‘collection of the AGNSW’. I remembered viewing the work at a Deutscher + Hackett auction in April 2009 with an estimate of $ 55,000 - $ 80,000 and an impressive provenance, including Mr McLeod of the Bulletin, 1906, and the Holmes à Court Collection. Despite this, the painting failed to sell on the night.

 

D+H art specialist Merryn Schriever confirmed that the AGNSW contacted them after the auction. Subsequently, they purchased the work with the Edward Stinson Bequest Fund in 2009. Schriever mentioned that this had happened before with public galleries: the Queensland Art Gallery purchased George Washington Lambert’s ‘Self portrait with Ambrose Patterson, Amy Lambert and Hugh Ramsey’, 1903, also after auction in August 2009 where it had been offered with an estimate of $ 300,000 to $ 400,000. It was bought in 2009 with funds from Philip Bacon through the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation.

 

However, these occurrences seem to be isolated. Geoffrey Smith, Chairman of Sotheby’s, couldn’t recall a recent instance of a public institution buying after auction. He felt that museums were usually able to raise funds beforehand and bid on the night.

 

Tim Abdallah, National Head of Art at Menzies, concurred saying that the time before an auction was usually plenty also for institutions to prepare a bid – however, the intention to bid would of course not be made known beforehand.

 

Antonio Dattilo-Rubbo lived a long life and was a prolific painter. There is great quality in his early portraits and impressionistic landscapes. Anything before 1920 is worth looking out for in the auction room, and small oils can often be secured for $ 1,000 or less. Later works feel less inspired and can come across as rather sentimental.

 

The exhibition runs until 14 August, focussing on Dattilo-Rubbo’s portraiture, and includes a small display of sketch books and memorabilia – an intimate tribute to a charismatic teacher and artist.

 

See also www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/antonio-dattilo-rubbo/

and www.antoniodattilorubbo.com.au

 

Information: Banziger Hulme Fine Art Consultants created the website  www.antoniodattilorubbo.com.au for the Manly Art Gallery & Museum.

About The Author

Brigitte Banziger and David Hulme are the principals of Banziger Hulme Fine Art Consultants, established since 2003. With their combined experience of over 40 years, they provide private collectors as well as companies and public institutions with independent expert art valuations. In addition to their appraisals for insurance, family law, deceased estates and market values, they assist clients with transparent advice when buying or selling an individual artwork or an entire collection, for some of Australia’s most significant private collectors. David Hulme is an approved valuer for the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, and both Brigitte and David are members of the Art Consulting Association of Australia, where David served as President from 2015 to 2019. David Hulme is a regular art market critic and commentator on the Australian art market and has been interviewed by numerous media, including the 'Australian Financial Review', 'The Australian' and 'The Sydney Morning Herald'. He has also been interviewed on Network 10’s 'The Project', on the ABC’s Radio National Breakfast show with Hamish MacDonald, the ABC’s 'The Business' program amongst many others.

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