David Davies

Background

David Davies was born on May 21, 1864, in Ballarat, Central Highlands, Victoria, Australia. He was the son of Thomas Davies, miner, and his wife Mary, née Harris. David was one of six children. His parents were both from South Wales.

Education

While still a student at the National Gallery Art School (1887 - 1890), David Davis sold a painting to art collector James Oddie for a hundred guineas. This sale enabled Davies to pursue his artistic studies abroad, and he left Melbourne late in 1890. He travelled to Paris, where he studied at the Academie Julian under Jean-Paul Laurens.

Career

In the late 1880s, Davis Davies and Roberts, Conder, Streeton, Walter Withers and others frequently painted at Eaglemont, near Heidelberg, at a property owned by Charles Davies, the brother of Davies's future wife.

After marriage, Davies and his wife went to live at St Ives, Cornwall, England, which was already popular with such expatriate Australians as Phillips Fox, Edmund Wyly Grier and the latter's brother Louis. The predominant style at St Ives was that of Whistlerian softness and emphasis on the atmospheric effects of light and mood. It was a style that had enormous appeal for Davies and on his return to Australia in 1893 he began painting romantic impressions of the landscape in the late afternoon and evening light. Davies and his wife settled at Templestowe, Victoria.

Early in 1896, the family moved to Cheltenham, Victoria. In 1897 they returned to England, settling again at St Ives. Next year Davies moved to nearby Lelant Down and over the next few years began exhibiting at the New English Art Club, the Royal Academy and the Ridley Art Club. After the birth of a son, the family moved along the coast to Carbis Bay, then to Newquay and Tintagel and finally to Wales.

In 1908, probably in an attempt to improve his health, Davies and his family went to live in Dieppe, France, where Janet taught English at a girls' school. At the outbreak of World War I they returned to live in London but afterwards settled again at Dieppe. Davies continued to send paintings to England for exhibition. He left Dieppe from time to time to paint with his friend and sponsor Richard Heyworth in the Cheltenham (England) area and particularly from Heyworth's studio at Sennybridge in the Brecon Beacons in Wales. His paintings from this period were mainly French village scenes and landscapes.

In May 1926 an exhibition of 21 oils and 52 watercolours, mainly French landscapes, was held at the Fine Art Society's galleries, Melbourne. It seems to have been his only one-man exhibition in Australia during his lifetime and was a great success, although he probably never received payment for works sold. In 1932 Davies and his family settled at Looe, Cornwall, and a large exhibition of his work was shown at the Plymouth City Art Gallery.

Achievements

• David Davies was a prominent visual artist. He had several gallery and museum exhibitions, including at the national Potrait Gallery, Canberra. Many of his works were sold at auction, including "Friendly Society's Gardens" at Sotheby's Australia, Melbourne "Important Australian Art" in 2012 for $33, 615.

Works

More photos

• painting

  • Friendly Society's Gardens

    1888

  • Moonrise

    1894

  • John Dougherty

    1895

  • Old Brewery, Sennybridge

  • Cheltenham Promenade

  • Ercildoune, near Ballarat

    1888

  • Landscape

    1889

  • Evening

    1895

  • Nocturne, Templestowe

    1896

  • Senny Bridge

  • Autumn afternoon

    1926

  • Warm evening, Templestowe

    1890

  • A hot day

    1888

Membership

• David Davies became member of this organisation along with E. Phillips Fox, Frederick McCubbin and Tom Roberts.

  the Buonarotti Club , Australia

  1885

Connections

On December 18, 1891 at the British consulate David married Janet Sophia Davies. Rupert Bunny and Aby Altson were the witnesses. When Davis and his wife lived at at Templestowe, Victoria, their daughter was born there, but died a few months later. Early in 1896, their second daughter was born and later, in January 1900, their son was born.

Father:

Thomas Davies

Mother:

Mary (Harris) Davies

Spouse:

Janet Sophia Davies

Friend:

Richard Heyworth

References

• DAVID DAVIES 1864 - 1939
  1984