Freda Robertshaw facts for kids

Freda Rhoda Robertshaw (1916–1997) was an Australian artist. She was known for painting people and landscapes in a special style called neoclassical. Her artworks are shown in big public art galleries across Australia. One of her paintings, Standing ... (1944), was a very popular piece at an exhibition called Modern Australian Women at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 2001.

Freda Robertshaw's Early Life and Training

Freda Robertshaw was born in Sydney, Australia, in November 1916. Her parents had moved to Australia from England during World War I. She went to primary school in different Sydney suburbs like Rose Bay, Darlinghurst, and Paddington. Later, she attended high school in Burwood.

When she was 16, Freda left school. She then enrolled at the East Sydney Technical College. She studied there until 1937. Her studies included drawing, life drawing (drawing people), oil painting, and watercolour.

Freda wanted to win the NSW Travelling Scholarship. This award required artists to paint figures. To improve her skills, she became a student and partner of artist Charles Meere. He had been her life drawing teacher. Both Freda and Charles were traditional artists. They painted the human figure in a careful neoclassical way. Some of Freda's paintings from this time looked so much like Meere's work that people sometimes confused them. Meere's art studio was in the same building as the studio of famous photographer Max Dupain. The offices of Art in Australia magazine were also there.

Freda Robertshaw's Artworks

Freda Robertshaw first started painting landscapes that showed a lot of emotion. But then, she began to explore more modern art ideas. Her art school and the world around her influenced these changes.

In 1940, she painted Australian Beach Scene. This painting was her way of responding to Charles Meere's famous 1940 artwork, Australian Beach Pattern. In Freda's painting, women are the main subjects. This might show how Australian society was changing as World War II developed in 1940.

After finishing this painting, Freda left Meere's studio. She then started her own commercial art business. However, it was not very successful. In 1944, Freda began working as a freelance artist for an advertising company called L. B. Rennie. She continued to work for them for the rest of her life.

Later, Freda returned to painting landscapes. She also tried new things with landscapes and surrealism. Surrealism is an art style that uses dream-like images. One of her surrealist works, Composition (1947), was bought by the National Gallery of Australia.

Exhibitions Featuring Freda Robertshaw

Freda Robertshaw's art was shown in many places. These included the New South Wales Society of Artists and the Royal Artists Society. Her works have also been part of several big Australian art shows:

• In 2000 and 2001, her art was in an exhibition called Modern Australian Women: Paintings and Prints 1925–1945. The Art Gallery of South Australia created this show, and it traveled to different places.
• In 2005, her work was shown in Heaven on Earth, Visions of Arcadia at the Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre.
• In 2020, Freda Robertshaw was featured in the Know My Name, Australian Women Artists 1900 to today exhibition. This show was held at the National Gallery of Australia.

Where to Find Freda Robertshaw's Art

Freda Robertshaw's paintings are held in several important art collections. These include:

• The Art Gallery of New South Wales
• The National Gallery of Australia
• The Gruthers Collection of Women's Art
• The University of Western Australia in Perth
• The collection of the National Art School
• The Art Gallery of South Australia

In 1998, her painting Australian Beach Scene (1940) was sold. It went for A$475,500 at Sotheby's. At that time, this was a record price for an artwork by an Australian woman artist.