John Alexander Gilfillan
Link suggestions feature: 3 links added.
| ← Previous revision | Revision as of 14:18, 20 April 2026 | ||
| Line 29: | Line 29: | ||
John Alexander Gilfillan was born in 1793 in Jersey, an island located near the coast of Normandy, France. John spent eight years in the Royal Navy before deciding to take up art as a profession.[https://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/John_Alexander_Gilfillan John Alexander Gilfillan], Societie Jersiase He was later trained as an artist in Scotland and was Professor of Painting at the [[University of Strathclyde]] (then known as the Andersonian University) Glasgow.[https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/artists/john-alexander-gilfillan John Alexander Gilfillan], National Galleries Scotland. |
John Alexander Gilfillan was born in 1793 in Jersey, an island located near the coast of Normandy, France. John spent eight years in the Royal Navy before deciding to take up art as a profession.[https://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/John_Alexander_Gilfillan John Alexander Gilfillan], Societie Jersiase He was later trained as an artist in Scotland and was Professor of Painting at the [[University of Strathclyde]] (then known as the Andersonian University) Glasgow.[https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/artists/john-alexander-gilfillan John Alexander Gilfillan], National Galleries Scotland. |
||
In 1841 he migrated to New Zealand arriving in Wellington on Christmas Day.[https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/john-alexander-gilfillan John Alexander Gilfillan],(Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 2-Apr-2019. Gilfillan secured an allotment of 110 acres (45 ha) in the Matarawa Valley near Whanganui, moving onto it in late 1845.[https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/john-alexander-gilfillan John Alexander Gilfillan], (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 2-Apr-2019. Pākehā settlement on traditional Māori land created unrest in the area and on 18 April 1847, Gilfillan's farm was attacked. John escaped and headed for Whanganui believing he was the real target and that his family would not be harmed. He was wrong. When he returned the next day with an armed party he found his wife Mary and three of their children dead. Their homestead was destroyed and another daughter was badly wounded in the attack.[https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/wanganui-war/matarawa-killings 'The Matarawa killings'], (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 2-Apr-2019. |
In 1841 he migrated to New Zealand arriving in Wellington on Christmas Day.[https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/john-alexander-gilfillan John Alexander Gilfillan],(Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 2-Apr-2019. Gilfillan secured an allotment of 110 acres (45 ha) in the Matarawa Valley near Whanganui, moving onto it in late 1845.[https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/john-alexander-gilfillan John Alexander Gilfillan], (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 2-Apr-2019. [[Pākehā]] settlement on traditional Māori land created unrest in the area and on 18 April 1847, Gilfillan's farm was attacked. John escaped and headed for Whanganui believing he was the real target and that his family would not be harmed. He was wrong. When he returned the next day with an armed party he found his wife Mary and three of their children dead. Their homestead was destroyed and another daughter was badly wounded in the attack.[https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/wanganui-war/matarawa-killings 'The Matarawa killings'], (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 2-Apr-2019. |
||
He left New Zealand soon after, arriving in Sydney in 1847. Gilfillan used his sketches from his time in Whanganui to complete the painting of the interior of Putiki Pah, ‘Maori Koreoro or Native Council’, which was hung in the New Zealand Court at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. In 1852-1853 Gilfillan visited the Victorian gold-diggings and produced a number of sketches which then appeared in [[the Illustrated London News]] of 26 February along with excerpts from his journal.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article158094003 CHORAL SOCIETY], (4 June 1853). Adelaide Observer (SA: 1843–1904), p. 3. Retrieved 11 April 2020. |
He left New Zealand soon after, arriving in Sydney in 1847. Gilfillan used his sketches from his time in Whanganui to complete the painting of the interior of Putiki Pah, ‘Maori Koreoro or Native Council’, which was hung in the New Zealand Court at the [[Great Exhibition]] in London in 1851. In 1852-1853 Gilfillan visited the Victorian gold-diggings and produced a number of sketches which then appeared in [[the Illustrated London News]] of 26 February along with excerpts from his journal.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article158094003 CHORAL SOCIETY], (4 June 1853). Adelaide Observer (SA: 1843–1904), p. 3. Retrieved 11 April 2020. |
||
By December 1856, he was working in the Customs Department in Melbourne. And his work ‘Maori Koreoro or Native Council’ had gained considerable attention and was sold to R. Grice for £160. Gilfillan had also started on another ambitious historical painting. This time his subject was ‘The Landing of Captain Cook at Botany Bay’ and according to ‘The Age’ Gilfillan had gone to a lot of trouble to obtain authentic portraits of all the principal actors.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154873213 NEWS OF THE DAY], (25 December 1856). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 4. Retrieved 11 April 2020. By June 1857 the work was nearing completion and the following description appeared in the ‘[[Adelaide Times]]’; |
By December 1856, he was working in the Customs Department in Melbourne. And his work ‘Maori Koreoro or Native Council’ had gained considerable attention and was sold to R. Grice for £160. Gilfillan had also started on another ambitious historical painting. This time his subject was ‘The Landing of Captain Cook at Botany Bay’ and according to ‘The Age’ Gilfillan had gone to a lot of trouble to obtain authentic portraits of all the principal actors.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154873213 NEWS OF THE DAY], (25 December 1856). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 4. Retrieved 11 April 2020. By June 1857 the work was nearing completion and the following description appeared in the ‘[[Adelaide Times]]’; |
||
| Line 37: | Line 37: | ||
{{blockquote | The great navigator is, of course, the principal figure in the composition, while grouped around him are Mr Banks, Dr Solander, and several officers Captain Cook has just made the usual proclamation, and has lifted his hat above his head. A seaman is elevating the white ensign of St. George above the group of officers; another has unfurled the Union Jack on the top of a cliff; the marines are firing a salute, while the motley-looking ships' band behind them, and on the right of the picture, are playing the National Anthem.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207176391 RECORD OF THE DAY], (20 June 1857). Adelaide Times (SA: 1848–1858), p. 2. Retrieved 10 April 2020}} |
{{blockquote | The great navigator is, of course, the principal figure in the composition, while grouped around him are Mr Banks, Dr Solander, and several officers Captain Cook has just made the usual proclamation, and has lifted his hat above his head. A seaman is elevating the white ensign of St. George above the group of officers; another has unfurled the Union Jack on the top of a cliff; the marines are firing a salute, while the motley-looking ships' band behind them, and on the right of the picture, are playing the National Anthem.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207176391 RECORD OF THE DAY], (20 June 1857). Adelaide Times (SA: 1848–1858), p. 2. Retrieved 10 April 2020}} |
||
In November 1856, Gilfillan, along with nine others, drew up the code of rules for the newly formed Victorian Society of Fine Arts and was elected to its committee for the following year.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7140195 VICTORIAN SOCIETY OF FINE ARTS], (18 November 1856). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 4. Retrieved 11 April 2020. He retired in 1861. He died on 11 February 1864 in Glasgow Street, East Collingwood, Melbourne, and was buried in Melbourne General Cemetery.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5744287 Advertising], 1864, 16 February, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.: 1848–1957), p. 8. Retrieved 11 April 2020. |
In November 1856, Gilfillan, along with nine others, drew up the code of rules for the newly formed Victorian Society of Fine Arts and was elected to its committee for the following year.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7140195 VICTORIAN SOCIETY OF FINE ARTS], (18 November 1856). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 4. Retrieved 11 April 2020. He retired in 1861. He died on 11 February 1864 in Glasgow Street, East Collingwood, Melbourne, and was buried in [[Melbourne General Cemetery]].[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5744287 Advertising], 1864, 16 February, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.: 1848–1957), p. 8. Retrieved 11 April 2020. |
||
== Exhibited work == |
== Exhibited work == |
||
