Lavender and Sweet William 1998

This interesting work frankly references a 1957 painting with the same title by John Brack (1920-99): for details and reproductions of Brack’s canvas, see Sasha Grishin, The Art of John Brack, Oxford UP, 1990, vol.2, cat.no.o61, and Geoffrey Smith, John Brack: Melbourne /1950s, Sotheby’s Australia, 2019, pp.36-37.

Besides developing on Arkley’s earlier interest in Brack’s suburban themes, it also represents a fine late example of the still life imagery the younger artist had explored since the 1980s. Several elegant sketches in Arkley’s archive (now in State Library Victoria) represent flowers in the same tall format: for comments, and a reproduction of an example dated 1995, see Gregory (2022), p.21.

The present painting was previously known only through its appearance at the Gould Galleries exhibition in 2000. Many thanks to Geoffrey Smith (Dec.2022) for providing further information, and identifying the specific reference as noted above. Smith recalls discussing the Brack parallel with Arkley on several occasions.

Provenance

• Gould Galleries, Melbourne, 1998 (acquired directly from the artist)
• Acquired from the above by the present owner

Exhibited

• HA Gould 2/00, cat.8 (ill.on cover of exhibition brochure)

Literature

• Gallery, NGV, Melb., Feb-March 2000, p.6 (ill.)