Background
He was born on 28th July, 1902, in Hermannsburg Lutheran Mission, Australia, and named Elea. However, after his parents converted into Christians, his father was baptised Jonathan, his mother Emilie and he was renamed as Albert.
(6 colour prints with a biography of the artist in a print...)
6 colour prints with a biography of the artist in a printed envelope. Each print about 7x9".
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He was born on 28th July, 1902, in Hermannsburg Lutheran Mission, Australia, and named Elea. However, after his parents converted into Christians, his father was baptised Jonathan, his mother Emilie and he was renamed as Albert.
Early years of his life were spent at the mission, where he was trained in leatherwork, carpentry, blacksmithing and saddlery. He lived in the mission, away from his parents in accordance to the rule s of the mission.
In 1936, he was Rex Battarbee, one of the painters whose works were exhibited in the mission, revisited the bush to capture the landscape in his canvas. In this venture, Albert helped the artist and Rex in return taught him the use of watercolours. Namatjira grasped the art of painting and in no time gained proficiency in it.
In 1934 Namatjira saw an exhibition of water colors by visiting artists Rex Battarbee and John Gardner at the mission. The impact on him was immediate and lasting. He revealed later than it gave him a perception of his own country, for the first time, in terms of its visual beauty, color, light, and atmosphere. Previously he had understood the land in terms of its mythology and as a source of economic survival. He watched Battarbee at work and determined that he, too, would paint in that manner. The people of the Central Australian desert had been artists from time immemorial, and art had always been an integral part of their ceremonial life. Their songs and dances of the corroboree, storytelling, body ornamentation, rock carvings, and abstract ground patterns were as significant to the desert people as were the great religious works of medieval times to Europeans. Traditional desert art was symbolic, and much of it sacred and secret, its meaning revealed on a graduated scale only to initiated men. It could not be reproduced without causing anger or possibly even death.
Having a reverence for the art forms of his people's mythology, Namatjira had no intention of reproducing them for commercial purposes. Battarbee's method and subject matter promised an alternative artistic outlet, and, as the artist had offered to give him lessons, Namatjira planned an itinerary for Battarbee's next visit which would take them by camel to the most beautiful places in the region. In 1936 the two had an eight-week painting tour.
With his power of concentration, his keen perception, and his fine craftsmanship, Namatjira was an adept pupil, and, at an exhibition of his own work in the following year, Battarbee showed three of Namatjira's paintings, which were well-received. This led, in 1938, to Namatjira's first one-man-show at Melbourne's Fine Art Gallery. These paintings were the first to bear the signature "Albert Namatjira, " and within three days all were sold. Most critics were loud in their praise, but this was not unanimous. Some suggested that Namatjira was only of curiosity value and that his paintings were mere imitations of his teacher. This mixed reception became the pattern for later shows. His second exhibition, however, was another sell-out, and this time the Adelaide Art Gallery bought one, making it the first state gallery to buy a watercolor by an Aboriginal artist. A great future was forecast for Namatjira.
World War II brought security investigations for all German people and organizations in Australia, including the Hermannsburg Mission. Because of his World War I service and his long association with Hermannsburg, Rex Battarbee was appointed as its security officer. Namatjira's paintings were selling as quickly as he could produce them to Australian and American servicemen stationed in Central Australia. Battarbee formed the Aranda Art Group to promote other Aranda artists, and he was chairman of an advisory group formed to help manage Namatjira's affairs. It was decided that in order to keep his standards (and prices) high, Namatjira should restrict his production to about 50 paintings a year.
His exposition of 1944 made Namatjira a national figure; he became the first Aboriginal person ever included in "Who's Who in Australia, " and the first book about him appeared. The 1945 exhibition was his first in Sydney. It was rushed, and within minutes of the opening the entire collection was purchased. Buyers included American servicemen and representatives from American, British, and New Zealand galleries.
Reproductions of his work became popular and appeared on Christmas cards and calendars. He toured the capital cities; his portrait was hung in the Art Gallery of New South Wales; he met the Queen of England and other royalty—he was feted. In 1957 he was granted citizenship. Until then, like other Aboriginal people at that time, Namatjira had, in law, been a "ward of the state" denied the normal rights of a citizen.
The change in status gave him the legal right to drink alcohol but not to share it with other Aborigines. To an Aboriginal person this was unthinkable, as everything must be shared with kin. His camp became the scene of regular drunkenness and brawling, which climaxed in the death of a young woman. Namatjira was not involved in the brawl that resulted in the girl's death, but he was charged with supplying liquor to fellow Aborigines, which at that time was a criminal offense.
Namatjira was convicted and sentenced to six month's hard labor. An appeal, fought to the high court, reduced the sentence to three months, which Namatjira served, a bewildered and broken man. He gave up painting and died in 1959, within four months of his release.
A shocked nation fell into mourning, and an examination of the national conscience on its treatment of Aboriginal Australians followed.
(6 colour prints with a biography of the artist in a print...)
(Central Australian Artist Albert Namatjira)
(Portrait of Albert Namatjira 1956. A biographical Sketch ...)
He received religious instruction and was baptized on Christmas Eve 1905. Accepting Christian customs, his family forsook their tribal names for "Christian" ones. Namatjira became Jonathan, his wife, Ljukuta, became Emelia, and their son was baptized Albert.
He said:
”Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. ”
Quotations:
”Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. ”
”Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school. ”
”There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle. ”
”All we did in Alabama was have a read through with the script, but there was, ‘No, well, it needs more. You’ve got to do this, Albert. You’ve got to do that, Jessica. ’ It didn’t feel like that at all. ”
”Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ”
”Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death. ”
”Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. ”
”I’m very happy. I like my work and the various aspects of it-going around the world, teaching the gospel according to St. Albert. ”
”You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. ”
He amassed a huge amount of wealth and as a result he had to take care of many individuals who belonged to his tribe and who were not well off.
He often left the mission and embarked into his journey into the bush. During such visits he also met his future wife Ilkalita who did not belong to his tribe and as such their marriage would not be approved by the tribes.
In 1920, when he was eighteen years old, he eloped with Ilkalita and married her. Some years later, he went back to the mission with his wife and children, and his wife was christened as Rubina, after which their marriage was approved. His children were also christened as Oscar, Enos and Maisie.