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Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
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oil on canvas
76.5 x 61.2
No. 34 in 1934 exhibition
Koorie Heritage Trust Collection
Henry McRae was born at Lake Moodemeere, near Wahgunyah, in October 1889. Henry lived at Coranderrk for the early part of his life and married Elizabeth Hamilton in 1909. There are very few notes about this portrait. The artist may have arranged for Henry and Elizabeth to travel to Melbourne and they stayed with his family for the several days the sittings lasted. The portrait was executed in his Eltham studio, against a flat grey background in July, soon after completion of the Pentridge portraits. Painted over two days, the artist recorded:
"Second day on Henry McRae’s portrait, probably the best yet. He a very good model"
The pose is strong and assured and possesses considerable dignity, apparent in the strongly modelled face.
Originally conceived as an anthropological record, Percy Leason’s powerful 1934 portraits of Victorian Aboriginal people are today considered to be a highlight of 20th century Australian portraiture
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