W. Blamire Young b. 9 August 1862

Also known as Blamire Young, William Blamire Young
  • Artist (Painter),
  • Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator),
  • Artist (Draughtsman)
Originally a mathematics teacher,the English born W. Blamire Young established himself as an illustrator, painter, designer, writer and art critic. An article in 'Art and Australia' in 1921 described Young as being '6' 3" high, aesthetic, virile, uniting the Cambridge manner with the Bohemian Spirit (and with) a picturesque and paradoxical personality'.
Tags: Poster art, Watercolour, Art Nouveau, Art and advertising, Art criticsm, Beggarstaffs
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painter, illustrator, writer and mathematics teacher; arrived from England in January 1885, aged 22. Described by J.F. Bruce as being '6’ 3” high, aesthetic, virile, uniting the Cambridge manner with the Bohemian Spirit (with) a picturesque and paradoxical personality’. Young drew for Lone Hand (including the cover of 2 March 1908 featuring an Aboriginal woman), designed posters, painted watercolours, wrote many articles and two short plays, designed ladies’ gowns and programmes for musical evenings in Toorak and was a teacher of musketry during WWI. Ure Smith (quoted Caban p.55), along with many others, praised his poster work, influenced by the English Beggarstaff Brothers (a.k.a. Pryde & Nicholson). He also illustrated Helen E. Wallace’s Magic Casements (Melbourne, 1925) with three colour plates.

His writings include the article “Fremiet’s 'Gorilla and Woman’”, Lone Hand 1 (June 1907), 226-29. (see Fink monograph).

Young also did the very atmospheric Convict Prison [the old Hobart Gaol] , watercolour and gouache on paper n.d., which includes the prison chaplain Rev. Robert Knopwood on his white horse, Timor, in front of the building along with some Aborigines and a red-coated soldier on guard in front of his sentry box. Apparently it belongs to the historical subjects, like Buckley and Fawkner, he painted between 1901 and 1905.

Writers:
Kerr, Joan
Date written:
1996
Last updated:
2007

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Date modified Dec. 29, 2011, 5:22 p.m. Dec. 29, 2011, 5:17 p.m.
References [<ExternalResource: Hurst, Nevin (2002), 'Australian Artists Colonial to Contemporary: A Spring Exhibition', Masterpiece Fine Art Gallery catalogue (September-October), Hobart, Tas., cat. 60., researcher - Curnow, Heather.>, <ExternalResource: (6 July 1899), 'At the sign of the poster girl', Melbourne, Vic.: Cycling News, vol. 1, no. 25, p 372, Cycling News references: Volume and Number may be misprinted.>, <ExternalResource: (1898), 'Cycle Posters: How they are drawn: An interview with a designer by a Reflector', Melbourne, Vic.: Cycling News, vol. 3, no. 66, 02-02, pp 16-17, Cycling News references: Volume and Number may be misprinted.>, <ExternalResource: Fink, Elly (1990), 'Young, William Blamire'.>, <ExternalResource: Thomas, D., North, I., & McCarthy F. (1972), 'The Australian Landscape'.>] [<ExternalResource: Hurst, Nevin (2002), 'Australian Artists Colonial to Contemporary: A Spring Exhibition', Masterpiece Fine Art Gallery catalogue (September-October), Hobart, Tas., cat. 60., researcher - Curnow, Heather.>, <ExternalResource: (6 July 1899), 'At the sign of the poster girl', Melbourne, Vic.: Cycling News, vol. 1, no. 25, p 372, Cycling News references: Volume and Number may be misprinted.>, <ExternalResource: (1898), 'Cycle Posters: How they are drawn: An interview with a designer by a Reflector', Melbourne, Vic.: Cycling News, vol. 3, no. 66, 02-02, pp 16-17, Cycling News references: Volume and Number may be misprinted.>]
Related events
  • Australian Artists Colonial to Contemporary : A Spring Exhibition (exhibited at)
  • The Australian Landscape (exhibited at)
  • Australian Artists Colonial to Contemporary : A Spring Exhibition (exhibited at)