Design and Art Australia Online

Painter [and surveyor?], was born at Geelong, Victoria, eldest son of Richard Ernest Minchin and his first wife, Ellen Rebecca Ocock. He made his debut in what was to be a long artistic career with the SA Society of Arts in 1869, winning a drawing prize in the under-sixteen section. Minchin junior (usually called 'E.W. Minchen’) exhibited three Victorian landscapes with the VAA in 1870. At the 3rd annual exhibition of the VAA, the Age (24 March 1873) reviewer noted among the oils: 'On the Yarra, by E.W. Minchen, calls for no special mention; and in a scene on the River Esk, Tasmania, by the same artist, the tone throughout is far too uniform to be pleasant’. He was apparently a student at the NGV School of Design in 1874-77. He showed an oil painting, View from Studley Park , non-competitively with the VAA at the 1875 Melbourne Intercolonial Exhibition (preparatory to the Philadelphia Exhibition of 1876).

By 1880 E.W. Minchin/Minchen was in Sydney. At the 1880-81 Melbourne International Exhibition E.W. Minchin of the Survey Office, Sydney showed an oil painting, Govett’s Leap , with other works by NSW Art Society members [cat. p.523]. At the Art Society of NSW’s first exhibition, held in the Garden Palace, Sydney, the SMH reviewer (23 December 1880) noted that he had shown in the watercolour section: no.112 Middle Harbour and no.176 Near Hartley Vale . 'In the first the headland to the left is very carefully painted; but the water is faulty, inasmuch as it is represented flowing at an impossible angle. The second picture is a good representation of a lovely district.’ (His oil paintings were reviewed in the SMH on 8 December 1880, p.3). The Bulletin (1 January 1881, 2) noted that no.22, 'Evening’ by Mr. E. W. Minchen, is indeed carefully rendered; the trees and distance are very natural…’

He also exhibited in the Art Society’s 2nd annual exhibition in 1881. The SMH (6 October 1881, 6) noted: 'No.39. “Valley of the Grosse”, by E. W. Minchen, is a telling representation of that oft-sketched and much photographed scene; and 42 'a view near Sorrento’ shows careful work in the treatment of the ferns in the foreground’. On 28 March 1883, p.5, the Herald review of the 3rd annual exhibition commented that Michen had 'been industrious, and indeed seems to have done too much, for his pictures might with advantage have been more carefully finished. 42 “Junction of Glenbrook Creek with the Nepean” is sketchy but effective. 47 “On the Back Beach, Sorrento” is another sketch showing good work. 173 “Bantry Bay” bears the stamp of good vigorous work and if 184 “Looking towards Bondi” has a fault it is that the sea is not the right colour. The “Valley Scene” 225, shows a pretty forest nook, painted in bright harmonious tints, and in 288 there is a nice sky.’ At the 4th annual exhibition held later that year, the SMH (4 October 1883, 8) noted: 'Some of Mr. E. W. Michen’s pictures are pleasant to look at, notably 109, “Study at Hunter’s Bay”, and 234 “Bantry Bay, low tide”.

Greenwood and Stephen (published 1883) called 'E.W. Minchin’ a painter of landscapes in oil. 'Also an excellent miniature painter.’ He was a committee member of the Art Society of NSW in 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884 and 1886 [and possibly others].

In 1884 at the Victorian Jubilee Exhibition E. W. Minchin showed (no.310) “Looking down Sydney Harbor [sic]”. He 'sent in some picturesque coast and harbour bits’ (watercolours) to the John Sands Art Gallery exhibition in Sydney ( SMH 3 January 1884, 5). At the Art Society’s 5th annual exhibition he showed no.251, “Kanimbis Valley, from Katoomba”, which the SMH of 16 July 1884, 5, considered to show 'a peculiar effect of light, the sun shining from behind a thick detached mass of cloud upon the trees in the misty valley.’ On 19 July 1884, 7, the paper noted no.234, 'Near Hunter’s Beach’ was an 'interesting work’. “De Libra” reviewed the exhibition in the Sydney Mail (26 July 1884, 178) and mentioned Minchen’s paintings.

At the 7th annual exhibition the SMH (20 April 1886, 4) noted: '“Entrance to Lane Cove River” by Mr. E.W. Minchen has had a lot of work and care bestowed upon it, but its treatment should have been broader. It is not effective as a picture, but its detail work is excellent.’ In 1887 at the Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition E. W. Minchen showed two oil paintings among the Art Society of NSW works: 1. 'Looking Towards Sydney Heads – E. W. Minchen – Woolwich, Hunter’s Hill, Sydney – Competitive – £5.5.0 [declared value for insurance & price for sale]; and 20. Near the Hawkesbury, Sunset – E.W. Minchen – Woolwich, Hunter’s Hill, Sydney – Competitive – £6.6.0. The former was probably the large oil painting Lane Cove River dated1886 (Hunters Hill Council) included in the MoS exhibition Sydney by Ferry in 2002.

The Illustrated Sydney News 27 September 1890, 19 (re annual Art Society exhibition) stated: 'Among the smaller pictures worthy of notice are … Mr. E.W. Minchen’s passion fruit … Mr. Minchen’s three exhibits all evince careful work, but the best of them is the passion fruit, a really admirable little study, which, we are glad to see, has found favour in the eyes of a purchaser.’ The following year the ISN 12 September 1891, 11, regretted (re the Art Society exhibition): 'We do not see anything on Mr. Minchen’s on the walls. This gentleman’s work is good enough to be missed.’

'G.{?}W. Minchen’ exhibited with the NSW Society of Artists in 1896.

Writers:

Staff Writer

Date written:

1999

Last updated:

2011