Painter, was born in New Zealand to Australian parents uninterested in art on 7 January 1904. Forced to go to work aged 14, he took up a position with an oil company that required him to complete a science and mathematics degree despite always yearning for 'a life of art’. When he discovered the existence of art classed in Australia in his late teens and became a long-term student at Dattilo Rubbo 's classes at the Royal Art Society, where he met Alison Rehfisch , who became his lover. In 1926 he won the Royal Art Society’s student exhibition prize.
6ft 7 ins tall and weighing 20 stone, he was 'the guardian angel of the Royal Art Society. Big, blond [sic], blue-eyed obliging George – if anything went amiss in the place, we said, “Let George do it.” “Let George do it” was the class catchword’ (Power, p.43, quoting Margaret Coen but not acknowledging source). Alison left husband and daughter to go with George to Europe to study and paint. They stayed away five years.
In the 1980s Stephen Scheding owned The Fisherman’s Dawn, Concarneau , oil on hessian 50 × 60 cm, signed 'DUNCAN’.
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- Writers:
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- Date written:
- 1999
- Last updated:
- 2011
