Bonhams to sell masterpiece by John Russell

John Russell – Belle-Île en Mer

Bonhams to sell masterpiece by John Russell

“Lost Impressionist” John Russell – Creator of Artistic Colony, admired by Monet, mentor to Matisse and friend of Van Gogh

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August 17th 2008 – As a close friend of Claude Monet and mentor to Henri Matisse, the artist John Peter Russell (Australian 1858-1930) is widely considered the “lost impressionist”. Russell’s work was profoundly respected by his contemporaries, so much so that Monet often preferred the Australian expatriate’s paintings to his own. International auctioneers Bonhams & Goodman are to sell one of John Russell’s most significant paintings, Belle-Île en Mer, on 26 August 2008 in Melbourne. The oil on canvas landscape was painted in 1904 when the artist was at the height of his powers and is expected to fetch within the region of AUD $1-1.2 million (£470,000 – 570,000).

Despite Russell’s extraordinary gift and the talent that he inspired in others, the artist never achieved the same fame as those around him. This was largely due to the fact that he never formally exhibited his work. As Geoffrey Smith, National Head of Art at Bonhams & Goodman explains: ” Russell didn’t have to churn out paintings for exhibitions because he was independently wealthy”.

The death of his father in 1879 left Russell a rich man and able to pursue a career in art. Having studied in both London and Paris, the watershed moment in his career came in 1886 when he met Claude Monet whilst sketching on the cliffs of the French island Belle-Île. Immediately recognising the artist’s style Russell asked, “Ne seriez vous Claude Monet, le prince des impressionists?” (Are you Claude Monet, the Prince of the Impressionists?) Flattered and amused by this approach, Monet allowed the young artist to paint with him. Monet was preparing for the exhibition of his remarkable series of paintings of the rocks and sea at Belle-Île astounding the Parisian art-world when he first showed them the following year.

Russell also met Vincent van Gogh in Paris and formed a close friendship with him, even painting the tempestuous artist’s portrait. Van Gogh spoke very highly of Russell’s work, and after his first summer in Provence in 1888 he sent twelve drawings of his to Russell to inform him about the progress of his work.

Russell left Paris in 1886 and became the first foreigner to settle on Belle-Île, building a fabulous manor house on the island. The presence of Russell on the island soon ensured that it became a magnet to some of the most creative spirits of his generation. Monet, Rodin and Matisse were all frequent visitors and it was here that Russell introduced Matisse to Impressionism and to the work of Van Gogh. Matisse’s style changed radically during that time – he later said:” Russell was my teacher, and Russell explained colour theory to me”.

Russell lived on the island with his beautiful Italian wife, Mariana Antionetta Matiocco, who regularly sat for the artists such as Rodin and Fremiet who came to stay with them. Her beauty was immortalised in Rodin’s Minerve sans Casque.

The painting to be sold by Bonhams has been in private ownership for nearly 40 years and is one of six pictures that will go under the hammer in the sale, Masterpieces of Australian Art from the Julian and Miriam Sterling Collection. This celebrated collection from the veteran Melbourne art dealer Julian Sterling and his wife Miriam includes another painting by John Russell of his parents-in-law, Les Deux Mattiocco, estimated at AUD $60,000-80,000 (£28,000- 38,000). The other four paintings feature historical scenes from around Melbourne including Tranquil Winter, Portsea by Penliegh Boyd.

Now aged in his eighties, Julian Sterling is a wonderfully colourful character excelling in his every endeavour in life. Throughout his highly successful 40 year career in the motor trade Mr Sterling collected art and antiques. In 1962 Mr Sterling turned his personal interest and passion into a business when he launched the Southern Cross Galleries. In typical Julian Sterling style the business was one of the most successful galleries handling the sale of some of the icons of Australian art.