Bush Sunset.

Artist:

Gladstone Eyre (1863-1933) 

Eyre, was a portraitist and landscape painter, born 11 June 1862 in Brunswick, Victoria. Eyre studied elementary drawing under van den Houten.

The Eyre Family moved to Sydney, New South Wales, in 1877 where Gladstone Eyre studied under Knud Bull. William Eyre began to promote his son’s artistic talents by writing to important politicians and church leaders of the colony seeking their advice on how he might develop as an artist. Not surprisingly, they suggested study at art schools in London, Rome or Paris. Regardless, Gladstone Eyre remained in Sydney and established himself as a portrait painter throughout the 1880s. His subjects included Reverend Dr Vaughan, Catholic Archbishop of Sydney; Dr Barker, Anglican Bishop of Sydney; Mr W.S. Lyster, supporter of the opera; Sir John Robinson, Governor of the Colony of New South Wales; Thomas Walker, President of the Bank of New South Wales; Cardinal Moran; J T Gannon, President of the Goulburn Mechanics Institute; and Sir Henry Parkes, Chief Secretary of New South Wales.

In January 1882 the Duke of Manchester presented Eyre with a pair of early English silver candlesticks in recognition of his splendid portrait of the Duke. Eyre became a member of the Art Society of New South Wales in 1883 and in the same year exhibited a life-size, three-quarter figure of Mrs Lillie Langtry. He also painted portraits of the Earl of Beaconsfield (Benjamin Disraeli) and the Right Hon William E Gladstone.

The Blue Mountains, near Katoomba west of Sydney, were of special interest to Eyre. His father was a land developer who promoted the establishment of the township of Leura and Eyre had considerable land holdings in the area. Titles of his mountain paintings include Gordon Falls, Blue Mountains, NSW; The Megalong Valley; The Three Sisters; and Jamieson Valley. Some of Eyre’s Blue Mountains paintings were exhibited at the Hydro-Majestic picture gallery at Medlow Bath.

In 1891 Eyre moved to Launceston, Tasmania, with his family under engagement to Mr R J Nicholas, photographer of St John Street. His paintings were displayed regularly in the shop front of this studio. 

Throughout the 1890s Eyre painted landscapes of Tasmania in oils, crayon and watercolours from life and photographs. Eyre and his family returned to Sydney in 1902 and resided at 56 Middle Street, North Sydney until his death in 1933. He travelled and painted landscapes in many parts of New South Wales. He joined the renamed Royal Art Society of New South Wales in 1904.