Dobell House facts for kids

Dobell House is a special old building in Wangi Wangi, Australia. It used to be a home but now it's a museum you can visit! This house was built between 1925 and 1970 by Robert Dobell. He was the father of a very famous Australian artist named William Dobell. The house is also known as Allawah. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on February 3, 2017, because of its important history.

The Story of Dobell House

The first part of the house, called Allawah, was built in 1924. It was meant to be a weekend getaway. William Dobell, who was trained as an architect, designed the building. His brother helped their father build it. Most of the building materials had to come by boat. This was because it was hard to get to the site by land. They even used gravel from the lake shore in the concrete!

William Dobell bought the house from his father's estate in 1942. He lived there until he passed away in 1970.

William Dobell's Early Life and Art

William Dobell was born in Newcastle in 1899. He studied technical drawing in Newcastle. In 1916, he started working for an architect. He moved to Sydney in 1929 to study art in evening classes. That same year, he won a scholarship to travel and study art. He went to England and Europe. 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 Archibald Prize for his portrait of Joshua Smith. Joshua Smith was a colleague he shared a tent with during the war. This win caused a lot of discussion. Two artists from Victoria took Dobell and the Art Gallery of New South Wales to court. They said the painting was a cartoon, not a proper portrait.

Life in Wangi Wangi

The Supreme Court eventually decided in Dobell's favor. But the long court case made him unwell. He moved to Wangi Wangi to get better. He kept a flat in Kings Cross until about 1950. After that, the house in Wangi became his main home.

Dobell started painting again in Wangi. He liked to paint in private. So, in 1946, he added a second-story studio to the house. This kept his workspace separate from visitors. More and more people came to see him as he became famous.

From about 1950 until his death in 1970, Dobell painted only at his Wangi home. He would make sketches and take photos of people or places. Then he would go back to his studio to paint. Dobell painted many scenes of Wangi. These include The Westerly Breeze, The Narrows Beach, and Storm Approaching Wangi (1948). The painting Storm Approaching Wangi showed a view from his house patio. It looked across Lake Macquarie. This painting won the Wynne prize for landscape in 1948.

Dobell won two more Archibald Prizes. One was in 1948 for a portrait of artist Margaret Olley. The other was in 1959 for a painting of his surgeon, Dr McMahon. He also painted two artworks for Prince Phillip's Royal Collection. Dobell was given a knighthood in 1966.

The House After Dobell

Dobell had plans for more additions to the house. But he didn't do much to keep it in good shape. When he passed away, the house needed a lot of repairs. It was simple and well-used, showing the simple life he preferred.

Dobell was well-liked by the local community in Wangi. He took part in community activities. After he died in 1970, people from Wangi formed the "Sir William Dobell Memorial Committee." They raised money to buy Dobell's house. It has been open to the public as a museum since 1971.

What Dobell House Looks Like

Dobell House is a mix of different styles. It has many additions built onto the original two-room holiday house. The front of the house faces north. This gives it great views of Lake Macquarie. The back of the house and the garage face Dobell Road.

Original Design and Materials

The first part of the house, Allawah, was a simple bungalow. It had features from the Federation and Interwar periods. A large gable (the triangular part of a wall under a pitched roof) with decorations was supported by small posts. These posts rested on masonry (stone or brick) verandah piers. A low masonry wall connected the verandah piers. All the walls were covered with a rough plaster finish. The gable and verandah are still the most recognizable parts of the early building. The gable end is now covered with metal sheeting. This replaced older wooden sheeting.

The walls of the original bungalow are interesting. They were built using an early method called slipform concrete. Large wooden boards were used as molds. Once the concrete set, they were taken apart and moved up to the next level. You can't see this technique now. But it was found when repairs were done in 2003-2004. Shells, seaweed, and fishbones were found in the concrete walls. This confirms that sand and gravel from the lake shore were used.

Later Additions and Features

Additions at the back (south) include a living area and kitchen from the 1930s. The second-story studio was added in 1946. The ground floor is made of brick with a plaster finish. Robert Dobell and his sons likely built it. The studio is made of timber and covered with asbestos-cement sheets. A fireplace was added to the studio because of the fireplace below.

The studio has many windows of different shapes and sizes. These were designed to give Dobell the right amount and type of light for his painting. There's a large sliding window facing south. A strip of fixed glass is on the east wall, below eye level. There are also corner sliding windows and two small hinged windows to the north.

The studio's pitched roof, covered in corrugated steel, was added around 1958. It replaced the original flat roof with parapets (low walls around the edge). The gable ends have horizontal wooden boards. The gable facing the street has a carved wooden decoration. This looks a bit different from the simple style of the rest of the studio.

The western addition was built in 1952. It was made of timber and covered with asbestos-cement sheeting. This part included his sister Alice's bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen. The bathroom and kitchen still have their 1950s style.

The garage includes a metal carport from the 1960s. This was later enclosed with timber and fibro sheeting. The roof is made of corrugated iron.

Garden and Surroundings

The garden has several old trees, including a beautiful Jacaranda. The southern garden has plants Dobell brought back from New Guinea in 1947. These are now large trees. They include an Irish Strawberry Tree, Guava, Feijoa, and several Frangipani.

Brick retaining walls surround the property on three sides. There are four different types of railings and balustrades (decorative fences). These walls and railings were added after the 1950s. They replaced an original wooden picket fence.

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

Inside the House

The furniture and items were removed when Dobell died. But many have been returned. These include cane chairs and tables, a cane peacock chair, and brass and wooden items. The studio has several of Dobell's easels, his bed, paint boxes, and brushes. It also has his desk and other painting tools.

Other items in the house include Dobell's grand piano. There's also his camera equipment, household items like china, and personal belongings. There's a small collection of Dobell's original works. These include sketches, studies, Christmas cards, and cartoons for friends. The Dobell House Archive is in the garage. It has books, articles, photos, scrapbooks, and films about Dobell.

The door between Alice's bedroom and the bathroom was decorated by Dobell. He painted small pictures on it, like a rose, pansies, butterflies, and pomegranates. These separate paintings don't quite match. This shows how the different additions to the house were put together. It's different from the balanced and organized way Dobell painted his portraits and landscapes.

Condition and Changes Over Time

The house is in good condition and keeps water out. The quality of building varies. The older parts seem better built than the newer ones. Some of the later work done when Dobell owned the house was not as good. These parts might need more repairs in the future.

When Dobell died, the house needed a lot of work. Since 1970, the Sir William Dobell Memorial Committee has done many repairs. They mainly fixed leaks and replaced damaged parts. The simple and well-used look of the inside has been kept.

Key Modifications and Dates

• 1930s: A southern addition was built, including the kitchen.
• 1946: The second-story studio was added.
• 1958 (around): The flat roof was replaced with a pitched roof made of corrugated steel. Wooden fences were replaced with masonry walls.
• 1960s: A western addition was built.
• 1965 (around): An earlier steel carport was turned into a garage with a laundry area. A southern balcony was added to the studio.
• 1971-1972: The internal stairs to the studio were replaced. Electrical wiring and gutters were updated. The house was repainted.
• 1999: The studio roof was replaced.
• 2000: The house and garage roofs were redone. The studio balcony was waterproofed and re-tiled.
• 2003-2004: The 1925 walls were treated for dampness. The northern boundary wall, northern pergola, and western Fernery were replaced.
• 2004: The southern garden was redesigned.
• 2008: The house was repainted using its original colors.

Why Dobell House is Important

Dobell House is very important because of its strong connection to the famous Australian artist William Dobell and his artwork. It was Dobell's home and studio from 1942 to 1970. He painted many famous works there. These include Storm Approaching Wangi, Dr McMahon, and portraits of cosmetician Helena Rubenstein.

Dobell House is important as the center of the artist's creative work. He rarely painted away from home. From 1950 until he died, almost all his paintings were made here. The house, studio, and garden show the views that inspired his landscape paintings. Views from the house appear in his art. Examples include The Westerly Breeze (1948), the Wynne prize-winning Storm Approaching Wangi (1948), and Wangi Scene (1949). Parts of the building and its contents, like the verandah and cane furniture, also appear in his paintings. Much of Dobell's furniture, which shows his travels and his work, is still in the house.

Dobell House is also connected to the artist because he designed it. It started as a two-room weekend house. Then he changed it with several additions, including the second-story studio.

The house, studio, and garden offer a special look into Dobell's painting environment and how he lived. The place can help us learn more about William Dobell and his artistic talent. It is important because it can give us more information about one of Australia's greatest portrait artists of the 20th century.

Dobell House was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on February 3, 2017. This was because it met certain important standards.

Connection to William Dobell

Dobell House and studio are very important because of their strong link to the important Australian artist William Dobell. The house was his home and studio from 1942 to 1970. It was where he created his later works. These include Storm Approaching Wangi, 1948 (which won the Wynne Prize for Landscape). Also, Dr E. G. McMahon, 1959 (which won the Archibald Prize). And a series of portraits of cosmetician, Helena Rubenstein.

For a time, Dobell used two studios: Dobell House and a flat in Kings Cross. But he gave up the Sydney flat in 1950. From then on, Wangi was his permanent home. The flat in Sydney has been changed by later residents. This means Dobell House is the only studio that still looks much like it did when the artist last used it.

Dobell didn't like to paint in public. So his home was the center of his creative work. He once said he couldn't paint outside. He preferred to paint landscapes from memory or from quick pencil drawings.

Views from the house became the subject or background for many of Dobell's later works. He painted scenes of Lake Macquarie and the Wangi area. These were often seen from his house and studio. Parts of the building and its contents, like the verandah and the cane furniture, were included in his paintings.

Dobell House is also linked to the artist because he designed it. It started as a two-room weekend house. Then he changed it with a series of additions, including the second-story studio.

Importance to the Community

The house is important to the people of Wangi Wangi today because of its connection to William Dobell. It helps them feel a stronger connection to their town. After Dobell died, a group of Wangi Wangi residents formed the "Sir William Dobell Memorial Committee." They raised money to buy the house and run it as a museum.

Learning from Dobell House

Dobell House is important because it can give us more information about Dobell. This helps us better understand the cultural history of Wangi Wangi and New South Wales.

Dobell House is not known for being beautiful or artistic in its design. Its mixed-up, sometimes not-so-great construction and worn finishes can tell us about the artist's character. He chose to live simply, with few comforts.

Dobell's portraits and landscapes show elegant design and balance. But the additions he designed for Dobell House are disjointed. For example, the different paintings on Alice's bedroom door don't quite match. Comparing these might help us understand Dobell's artistic talent.

The place, including the house, studio, and garden, provides details about the artist's life. These details are not found in other records or his artworks. This can help in understanding his contribution to Australian Art.

See also

• Australian residential architectural styles
• Storm Approaching Wangi
• Mr Joshua Smith