James Flett b. 1906

  • Artist (Draughtsman),
  • Artist (Painter)
A painter and graphic artist whose book of pirates featured the largest colour linocuts produced by an Australian artist at that time. He also produced a series of drawings of well known Victorian explorers.
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painter, graphic artist and writer, was born in Dunolly (Victoria). He studied at the National Gallery School’s evening classes in Melbourne 1927-28 and won many student prizes; two of his prints were purchased for the National Gallery of Victoria. A colleague of Buzacott and Counihan, he made strong 1930s linocuts, many as book illustrations. Inspired by Norman Lindsay, he also painted many watercolours of pirates and produced a sumptuous book, Pirates (Sydney: Frank C. Johnson, 1931), introduced by Blamire Young , in an edition of 50 with 6 full page colour linocuts the largest colour linocuts produced by an Australian artist in Australia until then (cf Napier Waller 's linocuts). His total output of prints, however, was relatively small (30 images).

The Collegiate Etchings and Fine Arts Company of Melbourne and Sydney issued a series of postcards after Flett’s black and white drawings of well known Victorian explorers such as Lonsdale, Batman, Henty and Fawkner. Later, he devoted himself to writing historical books, e.g. a history of Dunolly (see McCulloch).

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Writers:
Staff Writer
Date written:
1996
Last updated:
2007

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References [<ExternalResource: Lebovic and Warner, 'Fifty Years'.>, <ExternalResource: Cook, David, 'Picture Postcards in Australia 1898-1920'.>, <ExternalResource: Draffin, Nicholas (1976), 'Australian woodcuts and linocuts of the 1920s and 1930s', Sun Books, South Melbourne, Vic.>, <ExternalResource: McCulloch, Alan (1984), 'Encyclopedia of Australian Art', Melbourne, Vic. (2nd edn).>, <ExternalResource: Flett, J. (1931), 'Pirates', Frank C. Johnson, Sydney, NSW.>, <ExternalResource: Lebovic, Josef (1987), 'Masterpieces of Australian printmaking : exhibition 30 April - 30 May 1987', Josef Lebovic Gallery, Paddington, NSW.>] [<ExternalResource: Lebovic and Warner, 'Fifty Years'.>, <ExternalResource: Cook, David, 'Picture Postcards in Australia 1898-1920'.>]