Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 8 : Pressclippings, 1977-1981

$180,000 PAINTING A DOOR PRIZE FOR· QLD The director of the Queensland Art Gallery, Mr Rooul Molllah llterolly was on the doorstep for the purchase of the lorge $180,000 oil pointing "Le Solon des tfosael". He wru; asked by the art go llery chairman or ln1stees, Mr Justice Connolly, lo look at what ,..as avallnble nt an exhlbtllon In Mt lboume or paint– ings, pa.stcls and druwings by Edouard VuUlard. one or Frnnce·s grenl<>St p06l-lmpresslonlst •art– ists. The exhtbtllon was brought to Australia by Melbourne nrl dealer, Ooerges Mora, who hnd been negolh,ttng wllh the Vulllarll- estnle fog three years to a r range the showtn1. "It was cold and wel, nnd I was first al the door for the prlvnte exhiblllon al the Toarno Oal– lerlcs," said Mr Mellish, •·w e had been told ·Le Salon des ,Hes.sel' v.·as not ror sale, an.d when I learnt It was available It had not even been catalogued." "I made a quick call to Brisbane, hnd arrange– ment• for the purchnsc began Immediately. It was an absolute bargain". The huge painting which me11sures 180 cm by 382 cm, depicts the salon or the arllst·s 1reateat lr!end, the art-connoisseur, Madame Hessel. Mr Mellish snld "Le Salon des Hessel" was lhd Juel major work nvallnble from the cstule of Vull– lurrl. Who dle<J In 1040. He dcecl'lbed Its aequlslUon rui a major ~01111 ror the 1:nlle1·y. Mr Juslice Connolly said the expcndJLure or 5180.000 would lake up the entire state govemmnnL grant for acquisitions for 1091/82, but the gollery lmd to be prepnt·ed to spend such money !f It wi,nted out.t_tnnd ng works. Queenslnnders almost certainly will have lo wnlL until late M1 rcb lo view the palnling In the new ar gallery, Which wlll rorm part or the Queens nd Cultural Centre at South Brl.sbnne. Tne painting ls too big ror the temporary gal– lery premises Ill the MlM Bulldln1 tn Ann Street. After the exhibition at Tolnmo Oallerles, It probably will be houaed In the National Onllery of Victorin In Melbourne before being transported to Lhe Conservation laboratory under conslruclion at , South Brlabane, · Mr Justice Connolly said prll'ate Interests were mnklng generous donotlons to the Art Oal• lery Foundation, whkh attracted n dollar govern• ment subsidy for every two dollars raised. Nearly S3 mllllon had been rnl&ed, he said. · -nu:.c...-~u_____________ ~_•_• ___ ~_.,,_. ~_-•~~-•-•-~---~"-· ' ·Queensland buys $180,000 work The Queensland Art Oallery recently paid SIB0,000 for a larae oil palntin1 (I IIOan x 382cm) by one of France's greatest post-impressionist painters. The director of the Queensland Art Oallery wu on rhe doorstep of Melboume's Tolamo Oalleries the lint mort1in1 43 palntinp, pastels and drawlnp by Edouard Vuillard were available for private vlewina. The director was competlna with other state pllery buyers. "Le Salon des Hessel", painted about 1906, is the major work in the exhibition which took Melbourne art dealer, Georges Mora, three ycan to arrange with the Vulllard Estate in Paris. Mr Tony Elliot, Minister for the Arts, described the pun:hue of this palntln1 u another coup for the, Queensland Art Gallery which already houses works by Picasso, Renoir, Toulousc-Laulrcc, Pissarro and Vlaminck. The gallery is due to open ht the new river– side Cultural Centre in March 1982. ·- PAMELA KINO • PICTURED Is "Modame Hessel assise", 1912, a pencil, pen and Ink drawing: one of the works displayed In Melbourne's Tolarno Galleries. Modome Hessel was on art connoisseur ond greot friend of Edouard Vulllard.