E. Phillips Fox: Souvenir Catalogue

EMANUEL PHILLIPS F O X w a s bo r n o n Ma r c h 12, 1865, at Fitzroy, Me l bourne . A t a n e a r l y a g e h e s howed s uch a n a p t i t u d e for d r aw i n g t h a t h e w a s p l a c e d u n d e r t h e gu i danc e o f a n a r t teacher. Wh e n fifteen y e a r s o f a g e h e p a s s e d his ma t r i cu l a t i on examination, be i ng a t t h e s ame t ime a pup i l u n d e r Mr . Campbe l l , a t t h e National Gallery, Me l bourne . H e l a t e r h e l d t h e position o f d r aw i n g master i n seve r a l schools o f design, s t udy i ng pa i n t i ng me a nwh i l e u n d e r G. F. Folingsby w h o w a s a ppo i n t e d Di r e c t o r o f t h e Na t i ona l Gallery, Me l bourne , a n d ma s t e r o f its school i n 1882. I n 1885, w h e n t we n t y y e a r s o f age , Phillips Fo x w o n first prize f o r l a n d s c a p e pa i n t i ng , a n d t wo y e a r s l a t e r l e f t f o r Pa r i s wh e r e he s t ud i ed a t J u l i en s Ac a d emy a n d , u n d e r Bouge r e au a n d G e r m e , a t the Be a u x Ar t s . A f t e r exhibiting in Pa r i s a t t h e Salon d e s Ar t i s t s Francais i n 1890, h e r e t u r n e d t o Au s t r a l i a a n d , in Decembe r , 1892, h e l d an exhibition i n Melbourne. I n t h e following y e a r h e established t h e first Au s t r a l i an Summer School a t Chartersville, Victoria, a nd , w i t h T u d o r St. Geo r ge Tucker, t h e Me l bou r ne School o f A r t : in 1894, Fox w a s a w a r d e d a Go l d Medal f o r " M Y COUS I N " ( n ow i n t h e Na t i ona l Ga l l e r y Collection, Mel- b o u r n e ) , be i ng t h e first Au s t r a l i a n t o receive t h a t honour. Por t r a i t s , l and s c ape s a n d t each i ng occup i ed t h e n e x t f ew years: i n 1901, t h e Tr us t ee s o f t h e Na t i ona l Ga l l e r y o f Vi c t o r i a commissioned h i m t o p a i n t " T h e La nd i ng o f Ca p t a i n Cook, Bo t a ny Bay, 1770," now i n t h e po s s e s s on o f t h e Pub l i c L i b r a r y a n d r e p r o d u c e d in co l ou r in t h i s ca t a l ogue . A f t e r ma k i n g t h e p r e l imi na r y studies h e l e f t again f o r London i n 1902, wh e r e t h e p i c t u r e w a s p a i n t e d a n d afterwards exh i b i t ed be f o r e be i ng s e n t t o Australia. T h e ye a r s 1903-4 w e r e s pen t pa i n t i ng po r t r a i t s i n London and i n May , 1905, h e ma r r i e d Miss E t he l Ca r r i c k a f o rme r S l ade School S t uden t , a n d we n t t o Pa r i s wh e r e h e lived a n d wo r k e d o n t h e left b a n k o f t h e Seine, fifteen mi nu t e s f r om t h e City. Fo x wa s n o w a r e g u l a r exh i b i t or a t t h e Royal Ac a d emy and e a c h y e a r we n t t o London f o r t h e Exhibition. A t t h i s t ime a l s o he w a s exhibiting a t t h e Sa l on d e s Be a ux A r t s w h e r e h e wa s e l ec t ed an Associate i n 1908. Ni ne t een h u n d r e d a n d six a n d 1907 w e r e s p e n t in travelling, wo r k i ng , a n d seeing t h e g r e a t collections i n Spa i n a n d Ven i ce ; i n 1908 h e w a s a g a i n i n Au s t r a l i a bu t , a f t e r a n imp o r t a n t exhibition o f his w o r k i n Me l bourne , w a s b a c k i n Pa r i s b y t h e e n d o f t h e year. Fu l l Salon Honou r s we r e con f e r r ed o n h i m i n 1909r, h e again b e i ng t h e first Au s t r a l i a n t o b e so honoured. I n 1913, a f t e r pa i n t i ng in t h e s ou t h o f Fr ance , h e re-visited Au s t r a l i a wh e r e h e exe cu t ed a n umb e r o f imp o r t a n t po r t r a i t commis- sions, including t h a t o f t h e t h e n P r ime Minister, t h e Ri gh t Honourable An d r e w Fisher, n o w h a n g i n g i n Pa r l i ame n t House, Canbe r r a , A.C.T. Phillips Fox w a s in Tah i t i a t t h e o u t b r e a k o f t h e 1914-1918 war a n d o n h i s r e t u r n t o Aus t r a l i a , o r gan i s ed a l a r g e A r t Union i n 1915, t h e p r oc e eds be i ng u s e d in pu r cha s i ng a R e d Cross Lo r r y wh i ch was s e n t t o F r a n c e f r om " t h e Ar t i s t s o f Australia." Soon a f t e r finishing t h e po r t r a i t o f Lo r d For r es t , n ow in Perth Ga l l e ry , h e d i ed o n Oc t ob e r 8 t h , 1915. 2 3