Lithograph 156/300

Alice Blanch Chehovski was born in Queensland to a Russian mother and Polish father. When her father died leaving three small children to bring up on her own, her took them back to Russia to visit her own parents. In the following fateful year, Stalin came into power and the family was trapped by Russia closing its borders. At the age of twenty three, 1944, Alice entered Moscow's Institute of Decorative Arts and Applied Arts to study ceramics. Neither the subject of ceramics nor the academic drawing in fine pencil inspired her. At that time Moscow was surrounded by German troops, Russian culture was inhibited by the war and generally speaking it was not the time for arts. Alice said 'My soul and my hands were needed as a volunteer, to help the wounded soldiers survive'. Alice struggled through a lifetime of hardship and triumph before returning to her native land of Australia in 1981 at the age of 60.This lithographic print is one of a set of ten produced at Dunmoochin at the time of Clifton Pugh.Lithographic print in black and white (very dark image) detailing Clifton Pugh's garden at Dunmoochin.Bottom left of print: ed. no. '4/10' and work title. Bottom right of print: artist signature 'Alice Blanch '04'chehovski, dunmoochin, pugh, garden, lithograph

Alice Blanch Chehovski was born in Queensland to a Russian mother and Polish father. When her father died leaving three small children to bring up on her own, her took them back to Russia to visit her own parents. In the following fateful year, Stalin came into power and the family was trapped by Russia closing its borders. At the age of twenty three, 1944, Alice entered Moscow's Institute of Decorative Arts and Applied Arts to study ceramics. Neither the subject of ceramics nor the academic drawing in fine pencil inspired her. At that time Moscow was surrounded by German troops, Russian culture was inhibited by the war and generally speaking it was not the time for arts. Alice said 'My soul and my hands were needed as a volunteer, to help the wounded soldiers survive'. Alice struggled through a lifetime of hardship and triumph before returning to her native land of Australia in 1981 at the age of 60.This lithographic print is one of a set of ten produced at Dunmoochin at the time of Clifton Pugh.Lithographic print in black and white (dark image) detailing the interior of Clifton Pugh's house at Dunmoochin. Bottom left of print: ed. no. '4/10' and work title. Bottom right of print: artist signature 'Alice Blanch '04'chehovski, dunmoochin, pugh, interior, house, lithograph

Alice Blanch Chehovski was born in Queensland to a Russian mother and Polish father. When her father died leaving three small children to bring up on her own, her took them back to Russia to visit her own parents. In the following fateful year, Stalin came into power and the family was trapped by Russia closing its borders. At the age of twenty three, 1944, Alice entered Moscow's Institute of Decorative Arts and Applied Arts to study ceramics. Neither the subject of ceramics nor the academic drawing in fine pencil inspired her. At that time Moscow was surrounded by German troops, Russian culture was inhibited by the war and generally speaking it was not the time for arts. Alice said 'My soul and my hands were needed as a volunteer, to help the wounded soldiers survive'. Alice struggled through a lifetime of hardship and triumph before returning to her native land of Australia in 1981 at the age of 60.This lithographic print is one of a set of ten produced at Dunmoochin at the time of Clifton Pugh.Black and white lithograph on paper depicting the elaborate stone and wrought iron (open) gate/ entrance to Pugh's artist colony 'Dunmoochin' situated at Cottles Bridge.Bottom left of print: ed. no. '4/10' and work title. Bottom right of print: artist signature 'Alice Blanch '04'chehovski, dunmoochin, pugh, sunlight, lithograph

Alice Blanch Chehovski was born in Queensland to a Russian mother and Polish father. When her father died leaving three small children to bring up on her own, her took them back to Russia to visit her own parents. In the following fateful year, Stalin came into power and the family was trapped by Russia closing its borders. At the age of twenty three, 1944, Alice entered Moscow's Institute of Decorative Arts and Applied Arts to study ceramics. Neither the subject of ceramics nor the academic drawing in fine pencil inspired her. At that time Moscow was surrounded by German troops, Russian culture was inhibited by the war and generally speaking it was not the time for arts. Alice said 'My soul and my hands were needed as a volunteer, to help the wounded soldiers survive'. Alice struggled through a lifetime of hardship and triumph before returning to her native land of Australia in 1981 at the age of 60.This lithographic print is one of a set of ten produced at Dunmoochin at the time of Clifton Pugh.Black and white lithograph on paper depicting the elaborate stone and wrought iron (open) gate/ entrance to Pugh's artist colony 'Dunmoochin' situated at Cottles Bridge. Bottom left of print: ed. no. '4/10' and work title. Bottom right of print: artist signature 'Alice Blanch '04'chehovski, dunmoochin, pugh, gate, fire, lithograph

Geoff Davidson arrived at Dunmoochin around 1968 and began living and working as an apprentice to the potter Robert Main, who was working in a studio rented to him by Clifton Pugh on the Dunmoochin property. When Robert left, Geoff moved into the studio and began collaborating with Clifton Pugh on many projects for a period of 25 years whereby Clifton would decorate pots made by Geoff. Geoff produce the ceramic panels for Leda and the Emu. He mixed and identified the glazes for Clifton, then fired the panels once he had finished painting. Three or four murals were produced in this way, one of which was purchased by Don Dunston (ex-Premier of South Australia) as a gift to his dying wife.Dunmoochin derives its cultural and artistic heritage from the collaborative efforts of a group of artists who purchased land in Cottles Bridge in the early 1950’s. These artists (Pugh) pioneered one of the first artistic communes in Australia and created a lasting vision of how a community can gain knowledge and inspiration from living in a close relationship with nature. Pugh had explored the ‘Leda and the Swan’ mythological themes previously during the sixties in etchings and paintings, although he was more interested in referencing the original myth as allusions to other truths. Pugh was drawn to the Greek myth ‘Leda and the Swan’ in which Zeus transforms into a swan to seduce Leda. Pugh Australianised the myth so that Zeus transformed into an Emu rather than a Swan, and makes a gentle satirical comment on the sexual behaviour of the Australian male, whereby he sees a parallel between this and the proud yet awkward movements and naivety of our national bird. This particular theme was prevalent in Pugh's work right through the 60s and 70s. Leda and the Emu is a work by two prominent local artists (Clifton Pugh and Geoff Davidson) with a national and international reputation.Flat red background, black foliage. Leda is naked and sleeping with head resting in hand. Emu is to the left watching Leda. Drawing style is typical of Pugh’s work: linear, flat and gestural.Signed 'II Clifton'

Gift of Mack Jost, 1988

Gift of Mack Jost, 1992

Gift of Mack Jost, 1993

Gift of the Davidson family in memory of Jean Davidson, 2022etchings on paper

Painting of a woman with short red hair seated by a window and wearing a white nightgown. Inscribed (Ll) 'Judith, 3/68 South Audley St, London W1 and signed 'Clifton Jan 75'.clifton pugh, judith, london, portrait, painting

Painting depicting a female nude with blonde curly hair standing in a dam with lily pads and owl. Noneclifton pugh, painting, portrait, prue acton, dunmoochin, owl

Portrait of a woman with blonde hair and hands clasped wearing a red dress against a red background.Inscribed (Ll) 'Helen, with a fugitive smile'.clifton pugh, painting, helen, dunmoochin

Portrait of a woman with red hair, wearing a blue striped dress seated in a wingback chair in front of a window and Christmas tree. Signed (Lr) 'Clifton', inscribed (Lr) 'Adriane, 28 Palace Gardens Terrace, London W8' and dated 'Dec '83'.clifton pugh, painting, adriane, london, portrait, dunmoochin

Seated female nude with blonde hair in landscape with male nude and owl. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton '85'clifton pugh, painting, female nude, dunmoochin, owl, male nude

Portrait of a female nude with dark hair playing a tin whistle and seated upon a chair with an orange and brown blanket. Signed and dated (L.l) 'Clifton Jan '81'. On reverse in chalk 'Adriane '81'. On reverse: Label with number 31 and listing title, date, medium, size and price.clifton pugh, painting, portrait, adriane, tin whistle, dunmoochin

Female nude torso reclining in bath water with various bottles, orange wash cloth, chequered floor and chair legs. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton '84'clifton pugh, painting, adriane, venice, bathing, dunmoochin

Portrait of a semi-nude woman with black hair, black skirt and black and white robe against a yellow background. Signed mid-left 'Angela' and (L.r) 'Clifton '80'clifton pugh, painting, portrait, angela, female nude, dunmoochin

Portrait of a female nude with dark hair lying on a bed of lavender and yellow cushions. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton 3.3.90'.clifton pugh, painting, female nude, portrait, zsuzsi

Portrait of a woman with red hair standing in front of a draped window. Dated (L.r) 'Nov '74 Jan '75'.clifton pugh, painting, portrait, mim karlin

Painting of a wooden building with brick fireplace and wagon in the landscape. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton Jan 52'clifton pugh, painting, landscape, dunmoochin

Painting of two pink fish lying head to tail on a tan background. Dated in pen (L.r) '27.5.88'clifton pugh, painting, pinkfish

Portrait of a woman with light short hair wearing an orange shirt with multi-coloured jumper against a white background. Inscribed lower centre 'June Byford May 26 '77'.clifton pugh, painting, portrait, june byford

Portrait of an old man in three quarter view seated in a black chair with hands clasped. Signed (L.r) 'Clifton '68'.clifton pugh, painting, portrait

Painting depicting a reclining female nude and two blackboy plants with emu against an orange background. Inscribed (L.l) 'AP VIII/VIII Leda and the Swan' and signed (L.r) 'Clifton 80'.clifton pugh, screenprint, leda and the emu, female nude, landscape

Ink and wash drawing of a chicken's head. Signed (L.l) 'Clifton' and dated (L.r) '1954'.cllifton pugh, drawing, ink wash, chicken, dunmoochin

Pastel drawing depicting an abstract composition of female torsos on brown paper. Signed (L.l) 'Clifton 75'. clifton pugh, drawing, pastel, torso, female nude