painter and sculptor, exhibited at John Sands’ Art Gallery, Sydney, when it was reported: 'Mr Alfred Beere, who has earned a reputation for himself in the mother country having been an exhibitor at the Royal Academy, shows a small, though beautifully-executed, figure-piece entitled A Water-Carrier . The subject is that of a young girl, apparently an Irish maiden, stepping on the stones at the ford of a stream, where she has gone with a pitcher to obtain water. The picture is boldly drawn and warmly coloured, the rich flesh tints, ruddy cheeks and raven hair of the girl, clad in a loose graceful wrapper, she bends over the water, making a type of voluptuous beauty such as Swinburne’s passion verses would embody’ ( Sydney Morning Herald , 8 January 1884, p. 8).
'Twelve very beautiful medallions for the decoration of Goulburn Cathedral have just been modelled by Mr A. Beere, sculptor, 16 Wentworth-Court, and are now being cut in Oamaru stone. Eleven of them represent scenes in the life of Jesus Christ, commencing with the Nativity and ending with the Ascension and the twelfth shows the return of the prodigal son. They are 2ft 6inches in diameter and the figures which are boldly designed and well grouped, are modelled in high relief. These medallions will be a lasting proof of Mr Beere’s talent, and will be a striking embellishment to the interior of Goulburn Cathedral. Mr Beere has also recently executed two graceful models of original and spirited design, which represent in miniature figures of Plenty and Justice intended to ornament the Joint Stock Bank’s new building’ ( Sydney Morning Herald 21 February 1884, p, 7).
Re fifth annual exhibition of the Art Society of NSW in 1884: 'No.5 The Pets by Alfred Beere represents a Greek girl feeding her doves. The girl is beautiful, and the drawing good but the colouring is raw and the doves are not confidently distinct:’ ( Sydney Morning Herald 15 July 1884, p. 4). 'No.368 Justice , No.369 Plenty and No.370 Medallion Portrait – are models in clay by Alfred Beere, the first two being very beautiful little statuettes gracefully posed and draped’ ( Sydney Morning Herald 19 July 1884, p. 7).
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
- Date written:
- 1999
- Last updated:
- 2011
