Historical information

The gouache was presented to Cr Jill O'Brien, Mayor of Kew in 1983-4, who was instrumental in the purchase of the window. The same Kewriosity article, referred to in the physical description, states that the window was originally commissioned from the artist by a Kew timber merchant, and following ownership by successive owners found its way back to Kew. The framed photograph is part of the Jill O'Brien collection which was gifted to the Kew Historical Society following her death in July 2016. The collection includes important primary sources relating to a number of areas in which Jill O'Brien made a significant contribution including the establishment of the Villa Alba Museum, local government, the Kew Historical Society, the Yarra Bend Trust, and the arts.

Physical description

Framed gouache on paper of the design by the artist Alan Sumner for his window, The Four Seasons. The window, now in Kew Library was purchased to commemorate Kew's 125th Anniversary. An article in a contemporary issue of Kewriosity states: The window is approximately three metres in diameter and divided into one central and four outer panels. Clockwise from the top is Autumn with sinuous lines in yellow and brown, then winter in cool blues and mauves with lines and circles suggesting rain, snow and hail. Spring follows in the bottom left quadrant with organic ovaloid shapes richly coloured and lines evoking growth. Then to the top where summer explodes with the colours of fire and blue of the sky at the height of summer. The centre panel has a powerful image of sun, moon and stars which links the surrounding panels".