William Dobell

Sir William Dobell was a famous Australian portrait painter and draftsman. He is best known for his wonderfully expressive portraits with elongated features. His controversial Archibald Prize winning “Portrait of an Artist” (Joshua Smith) made him a household name in Australia when the result was contested in court. Famous William Dobell works include “Dame Mary Gilmore”, “Margaret Olley”, “Storm Approaching Wangi”, “The Duchess Disrobes”, “Portrait of a Strapper”, and “Portrait of an Artist, Joshua Smith”.

Mini biography: Born William Dobell on the 24th of September, 1899 in Cooks Hill, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. So he is a famous Libra artist born in September. His mother was Margaret Emma Wrightson and his father Robert Way Dobell.

Dobell started working as an apprentice to the architect Wallace L. Porter when he was sixteen years old. He eventually qualified as an architect but he was not satisfied, instead he longed to a cartoonist for a newspaper. After 8 years of employment with the architect his employer died, prompting Dobell to pursue his dream of becoming a commercial artist and moving from his family home in Cooks Hill, Newcastle to the city of opportunity, Sydney.

The artist died on the 13th of May, 1970 in Wangi Wangi on Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia at the age of 70. Dobell’s remains are now resting at the Newcastle Memorial Park in Beresfield, NSW, Australia.

• William Dobell Quotes - See famous quotes and sayings by the Australian portrait painter William Dobell about art and life.