Dobell House facts for kids

Dobell House is a special old home in Wangi Wangi, Australia. It used to be where famous Australian artist William Dobell lived and worked. Today, it is a museum that you can visit!

William Dobell's father, Robert Dobell, built the first part of the house in 1924. William helped design it. The house is also known as Allawah. It is so important that it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2017.

A Home for a Famous Artist

The first part of Dobell House was built in 1924. It was a small holiday home. William Dobell, who was trained as an architect, helped his father design it. His brother also helped with the building work. Most of the building materials came by boat because it was hard to get them by land. They even used gravel from the nearby lake shore for the concrete!

William Dobell was born in Newcastle in 1899. He studied drawing and architecture there. Later, he moved to Sydney to study art. In 1929, he won a special scholarship. This allowed him to travel to England and Europe to study art even more. He came back to Australia in 1938.

During World War II, Dobell worked as a war artist for the Australian Government. In 1943, he won the famous Archibald Prize for a portrait. It was a painting of his friend, Joshua Smith. Some people thought the painting was not a true portrait. This led to a legal case, which Dobell won. But the long court case made him unwell.

After the court case, Dobell moved to Wangi Wangi to get better. He bought the house from his father's family in 1942. Wangi Wangi became his permanent home around 1950. He lived there until he passed away in 1970.

Dobell's Studio and Art

When Dobell started painting again in Wangi, he wanted privacy. So, in 1946, he added a second-floor studio to the house. This way, he could paint without being disturbed by visitors. Many people came to see him as he became more famous.

From 1950 until his death, Dobell painted almost all his artworks at his home in Wangi. He would make sketches or take photos of people and places. Then, he would go back to his studio to paint.

Dobell painted many scenes of Wangi. These include The Westerly Breeze and The Narrows Beach. His painting Storm Approaching Wangi (1948) shows a view from his house patio. This painting won the Wynne Prize for landscape art in 1948. Dobell also won two more Archibald Prizes. One was for a portrait of artist Margaret Olley. The other was for a painting of his surgeon. He even painted two artworks for Prince Philip's Royal Collection! Dobell was given a special honour, a knighthood, in 1966.

What Dobell House Looks Like

Dobell House is a mix of different parts added over time. The front of the house faces north. This is to get the best views of Lake Macquarie. The back of the house faces Dobell Road.

The first part of the house, called Allawah, was a simple holiday home. It had a strong roof design with a decorative front. The walls were covered in a rough finish. These parts are still easy to recognise today.

The walls of the original house were built in a special way. They used a technique called slipform concrete. This meant they used wooden boards to shape the concrete. After the concrete dried, they moved the boards up to the next level. This was an early way to build with concrete. People found shells, seaweed, and fishbones in the walls! This shows that sand and gravel from the lake shore were used.

Later additions were made to the house. In the 1930s, a living area and kitchen were added downstairs. In 1946, the second-floor studio was built. The studio has many windows of different shapes and sizes. Dobell designed them to get the right amount and type of light for his painting.

The roof of the studio was changed around 1958. It used to be flat but was replaced with a sloped roof. In 1952, a western part was added. This included a bedroom for Dobell's sister, Alice, and another bathroom and kitchen.

The garden around the house has many old trees. Some plants were even brought back by Dobell from New Guinea in 1947. These include an Irish Strawberry Tree and Frangipani.

The house, studio, and garage are all painted plain white. This helps to make the different parts look like one building.

After Dobell died, many items from his house were removed. But over time, many have been brought back. You can now see his easels, paint boxes, and brushes in the studio. There is also his grand piano, camera gear, and household items. You can even see some of his original sketches and drawings. The garage holds an archive with books, photos, and films about Dobell.

One interesting detail is a door between Alice's bedroom and the bathroom. Dobell decorated it with small paintings of flowers and butterflies. These small paintings look a bit random. This is different from the careful balance in his famous portraits and landscapes.

Keeping Dobell House Special

When William Dobell passed away, the house was not in good condition. He had not done much to maintain it. However, the local community loved Dobell. After he died in 1970, people in Wangi Wangi formed a group. They called themselves the "Sir William Dobell Memorial Committee". They raised money to buy the house. Since 1971, Dobell House has been open to the public as a museum.

The committee has done a lot of work to fix and care for the house. They have made sure it is strong and watertight. They replaced damaged parts and renewed the electrical wiring. They also repainted the house using its original colours. The house still feels simple and well-used, just as Dobell preferred it.

Why Dobell House is Important

Dobell House is very important because of its strong connection to William Dobell. It was his home and studio from 1942 to 1970. Many of his famous paintings were created here. These include Storm Approaching Wangi and portraits of important people.

Dobell rarely painted away from his home. So, the house, studio, and garden were the centre of his creative work. From 1950 until his death, almost all his paintings were made right here. The views from the house inspired his landscape paintings. You can see parts of the house and its furniture, like the verandah and cane chairs, in his artworks.

Dobell himself designed the original house and its later additions. This makes the house a unique record of his life and how he painted. It helps us understand more about William Dobell and his amazing artistic talent.

The people of Wangi Wangi also feel a strong connection to Dobell House. It helps them feel proud of their town's history. The "Sir William Dobell Memorial Committee" worked hard to buy the house. They continue to run it as a museum for everyone to enjoy.

Dobell House helps us learn more about one of Australia's greatest portrait artists. It shows us how he lived and worked. Even the way the house was built, with its simple and sometimes uneven parts, can tell us about Dobell's character. He chose to live a simple life.