P. W. Marony facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
P. W. Marony
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| Born |
Patrick William Marony
1858 County Waterford, Ireland
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| Died | 14 January 1939 (aged 81) |
| Known for | Painting, political cartooning, photography, writing |
P. W. Marony (born around 1858, died 1939) was a talented Australian artist. He was known for many things, including painting, drawing political cartoons, taking photos, and writing stories.
Marony lived during a time when art was changing. People were moving from liking big history paintings to enjoying movies that told historical stories. He created many famous paintings about bushrangers, which were shown in the 1890s. He also wrote movie scripts for an early Australian film company. Today, 26 of his oil paintings, mostly of bushrangers, are kept at the National Library of Australia.
Contents
Who Was P. W. Marony?
Early Life and Family
Patrick William Marony was born in County Waterford, Ireland, around 1858. His father, John Charles Marony, was a publican. Patrick studied in a seminary in Dublin when he was young.
Around 1883, Marony moved to Australia with his brother, John Martin Marony. He traveled from Brisbane to Sydney by ship. In Sydney, he married Rebecca Mason in 1883. They had two children: Redmond, born in 1887, and Sylvia, born around 1893.
In 1888, Marony painted a portrait of Hugh Taylor, a local politician. Taylor's friends bought the painting and gave it to him as a present.
Painting Australian Bushrangers
Marony spent about seven or eight years painting bushrangers, from 1886 to 1894. He worked hard to make his paintings very accurate. He used photographs for people's faces whenever he could. He also visited the actual places where events happened to make his scenes realistic. People said he "made a personal inspection of the scenes" and gathered information from people who saw the events.
In June 1894, more than 30 of his bushranger paintings were shown in Sydney. These paintings were called "graphic illustrations of what might be called the 'Australian reign of terror'." Marony was known as "the leading artist of Orange" at the time. His paintings showed famous events like:
- The raid on Bathurst by Gilbert’s gang.
- The Eugowra gold escort robbery.
- The death of Starlight.
- A mail coach being held up.
- The death of Ben Hall.
- The capture of Ned Kelly and the siege of Glenrowan.
Drawing Political Cartoons
In 1900, P. W. Marony had three full-page cartoons published in The Worker newspaper in Brisbane. One of his cartoons was even on the front cover. The Worker was the official newspaper for the Australian Labor Party in Queensland at that time. Marony's cartoons have been described as "lively and distinctive," even if they looked a bit rough.
The State Library of Queensland also has two later political cartoons by Marony from around 1916. One of these shows Prime Minister Hughes forcing dock workers into a conscription camp.
Adventures in the New Hebrides
In 1902, Marony was part of a group of 18 Australian settlers who went to the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu). They sailed on a ship called the Mambare and settled on the island of Espiritu Santo. The famous Australian writer A. B. Paterson was also on the ship, writing about the settlement for the Sydney Morning Herald.
The settlers were given large pieces of land to grow crops like maize and coconuts. Marony chose land on the south coast of the island. After about three years, he sold his land. Marony and his family then moved to Port Vila for a short time. During this period, Marony took a three-month cruise around the islands on a schooner.
When he returned to Australia, Marony wrote articles about his travels. He wrote about Norfolk Island in December 1905, supporting the people who lived there. In February 1906, two of his articles about the New Hebrides were published in the Sydney Mail. These articles included his own photographs. They shared information about the settlers, farming, and the customs of the local people.
In October 1908, Marony also published a short story called 'A Romance of Santo Island', which was set in the New Hebrides.
Writing for the Movies
P. W. Marony wrote the scripts for three silent films made by the Australian Life Biograph Company in 1911. These were some of the company's first movies:
- A Tale of the Australian Bush: This was the company's first film, released in March 1911. It was about the bushranger Ben Hall.
- One Hundred Years Ago: Released in May 1911, this was a romantic drama. It was about an innocent man sent to prison on Norfolk Island and a woman's strong love.
- A Ticket in Tatts: Released in June 1911, this movie was a melodrama about horse racing and gambling. The hero thought he had committed a murder, but the truth was revealed later.
More Artistic Work
Patrick W. Marony was a member of the Royal Art Society of New South Wales. He showed his paintings with them in 1907, 1908, 1909, and 1912.
In December 1912, Marony had an exhibition of his paintings in Sydney. These paintings showed "Australian and South Sea Island Scenes." In January 1913, he showed about 80 of his works in Bathurst. This collection included watercolour, oil paintings, and pastel works. The exhibition focused on Australian landscapes, showing "exquisite impressions of bush, sea, plain, and mountain." One large painting showed the Katoomba Falls. All the paintings were for sale.
In May 1924, Marony held another exhibition in Kempsey. This time, he showed his watercolour paintings of "beauty spots of the North Coast."
Later Years
By 1930, Marony was living in Manly, New South Wales. Patrick William Marony passed away on January 14, 1939, at his home in Manly. He was 81 years old. Marony was cremated, and his ashes were scattered in the Four Winds Garden at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium in Sydney.
