Arthur Boyd

(Australian, 1920-1999)

Pulpit Rock

Footnotes

PROVENANCE
possibly Art Galleries Schubert, Queensland
Private collection, New South Wales

In an interview with Janet McKenzie, Boyd recalled of his first visit to the Shoalhaven area as 'We drove down from Canberra. It was an endless drive off the main road and we at last arrived very late. We stayed and it was absolutely searing hot. I went painting down by the river and it was so hot the paint ran into the sand. The first work was a very rudimentary sketch which is now at the National Gallery. After we had been there I thought the place was absolutely marvellous. When we were leaving I asked Frank McDonald if he ever came across another part of the river, or in the area, anything like Bundanon, would he let us know.'

After returning to England in 1972, Arthur received word that the neighbouring property, Riversdale, adjacent to the Shoalhaven River was up for sale. Having been so enchanted by this region the Boyd's swiftly acquired the property sight unseen. The river and its local surroundings would provide a rich backdrop to many of his later masterpieces.

After many years of tackling subjects such as the Bride series, Nebuchadnezzar and the caged painter, the Shoalhaven district seemed to present a salve to Boyd's world weary eyes. He never tired of capturing the many nuances of this landscape at all different times of the day. The present work features the monolithic Pulpit Rock, a prominent topographical feature opposite the Bundanon homestead, here Boyd positions flame trees against the dry landscape to accentuate the heat of the midday sun.