Herbert Walter E. Cotton b. 1872

Also known as Herbert W. Cotton, H. W. Cotton, H. Cotton, Cotton
  • Artist (Draughtsman),
  • Artist (Painter),
  • Artist (Printmaker),
  • Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator)
Federation era Sydney cartoonist, caricaturist and illustrator. The exhibitor in London in 1886 and Adelaide 1887 may be another H. Cotton.
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cartoonist, caricaturist and illustrator, was born in New England, NSW, where he was encouraged by the 'portrait and scenic artist’ Conrad Wagner . In 1887 [?] he won the first medal awarded in perspective, geometrical and freehand drawing at the University Junior Examinations. His first cartoons were published in the Bulletin in 1894, and from then on he concentrated on black-and-white work. A collection of his caricatures of 'Australian Public Men’ published in World’s News , along with cartoons and caricatures done for the Sydney Mail , Daily Telegraph and Bulletin , were assembled into an undated anthology, Australian Public Men Sketched , by the NSW Bookstall Company, Sydney (c.1904). The Bookstall Company also published his Souvenir of Federation Cartoons in 1901. National Library of Australia [NLA] has lots of original Federation cartoons and caricatures, including Sir George Reid 1899, pen and ink (#R6186), Sir Henry Parkes and Federation 1900, ink and wash (R6185), and an allegorical female representing Federation, “Who holds the joker?” 1904 (plate 808/10). Also neg. for 'Commonwealth’ 1901 and neg. for 'Federation Australia’ 1900 (Australia kneeling at the feet of Queen Victoria, #PL 691/4, ill. M. Anderson et al., When Australia Was A Woman , Western Australian Museum 1998, cat. 49) – see also NLA Public Access Catalogue on Telnet. “Federation” 1900 and “Enfranchised” (a successful suffrage woman breaking in on group of male politicians, including Deakin and Reid) 1902 were included in Rainbow (p.62) along with the well-known cartoon of Parkes drawing a curtain to reveal 'Federated Australia’ and a quote from his 1889 Tenterfield oration published in the Daily Telegraph , 9 July 1900.

State Library of New South Wales Mitchell Library (XV*/CART/2) holds a large b/w print with yellow background, 'The Ball of the Season’ 1905 (or 1902?) at Sydney Town Hall, showing Governor Northcote and Melba as chief guests, plus lots of cartoonists. A key is provided to all the figures.

painter and sketcher, exhibited in the 1886 Colonial and Indian Exhibition, the 1887 Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition, et al. A wash drawing by H.W. Cotton, 'Surf Girl’, is illustrated in Lone Hand 8 (November 1910), 72. His oil on canvas 'Billabong on the Murray’, dated 1898 and signed 'Cotton’, was offered for auction at Sotheby’s 'Fine Australian and European Paintings’, Melbourne, 28-29 April 1998, lot 275.

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

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References [<ExternalResource: (April 1998), 'Fine Australian and European Paintings', Melbourne, Vic : Sotheby's, lot 275, 1998-04-28; 1998-04-29.>, <ExternalResource: Rainbow, Brenda (February 2001), 'Cartoonists View Federation : By Crikey, It's One Hundred Years! : The Cartoonists' View', Coffs Harbour, NSW : Bunker Gallery (sponsored by New South Wales Centenary of Federation), .>, <ExternalResource: (7 December 1904), AAA (All About Australians), (p. 680).>, <ExternalResource: Information sourced from Judd, C.>, <ExternalResource: 'National Library of Australia 'Images' website http://enzo.nla.gov.au', Canberra, ACT : National Library of Australia.>, <ExternalResource: Sydney, NSW : Bulletin.>, <ExternalResource: World's News.>, <ExternalResource: Sydney, NSW : Sydney Mail.>, <ExternalResource: Sydney, NSW : Daily Telegraph.>, <ExternalResource: Cotton, Herbert Walter E. (c.1904), 'Australian Public Men Sketched', Sydney, NSW : NSW Bookstall Company.>, <ExternalResource: Cotton, Herbert Walter E. (1901), 'Souvenir of Federation Cartoons', Sydney, NSW : NSW Bookstall Company.>, <ExternalResource: New South Wales : New South Wales Birth Records : 19044/1872; 28599/1893; 5888/1904.>, <ExternalResource: New South Wales : New South Wales Death Records : 6076/1931.>, <ExternalResource: New South Wales : New South Wales Marriage Records : 1704/1893; 3208/1900; 1549/1870.>, <ExternalResource: Anderson, M. et al. (1998), 'When Australia Was A Woman', Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum, cat 49.>, <ExternalResource: Gibbney, H. J.; and Smith, Ann G. (eds.) (1987), 'A Biographical register 1788-1939 : notes from the name index of the Australian dictionary of biography /', Canberra, ACT : Australian Dictionary of Biography.>, <ExternalResource: 'Joan Kerr Archive', National Library of Australia, Canberra, ACT.>] [<ExternalResource: (April 1998), 'Fine Australian and European Paintings', Melbourne, Vic : Sotheby's, lot 275, 1998-04-28; 1998-04-29.>, <ExternalResource: Rainbow, Brenda (February 2001), 'Cartoonists View Federation : By Crikey, It's One Hundred Years! : The Cartoonists' View', Coffs Harbour, NSW : Bunker Gallery (sponsored by New South Wales Centenary of Federation), .>]