Born in 1872 in New Zealand Leonard Whithair Appleby undertook some training in painting in 2nd grade art, c.1885 – c.1887 at the Christchurch School of Art, before taking up photography. He was active as a footballer. He came to New South Wales either in the late 1880s or late 1890s gaining experience at Falk studio in Sydney and in Newcastle. It is unclear if he first worked for Christchurch photographer C.H. Manning in the late 1880s before or after his Australian experience. From October to 1895 to he was in Christchurch as managing partner of C H Manning & Co run by Manning’s Australian born widow Emma Louisa nee Noble(1857-1905 – sister of the Melbourne photographer Timothy Stoessiger Noble). Appleby stayed until early 1898 when the firm of Standish and Preece purchased all the negatives of Charles Henry Manning, C.H. Manning & Co and L.W.Apppleby.
It would appear L.W. Appleby was working in Brisbane c 1899 for P.C. Poulsen but also well kmown as footballer referee and swimmer. He was a member of the Queensland Referee Association in 1900 when his departure for Sydney on 1 December was announced in the Rockhampton _Morning Bulletin _to resume a career on stage having formerly been in Bland Holt’s Dramatic Company.
By March 1898 Appleby was working for Falk Studios in The Strand in Sydney before starting his own studio in the arcade in 1906 which ran until 1920. Appleby catered to theatrical and society sitters. Appleby’s studio was taken over by Monte Luke.
By his surviving prints Appleby was a fine portraitist in the soft focus glamourising style of international art photographers of early 20th century comparable with his compatriots May and Mina Moore. He has a significant role as an early exponent of art photography in Australia seemingly holding the first one person show in 1904 five years before that of Harold Cazneaux at the New South Wales Photographic Society rooms. In 1905 critic A.G. Stephens devoted an long article to him in _Art and Architecture _making the claim that Appleby 'seems to be first and chief among those who have attempted the new photography. Certainly no series of gum-portraits has been shown in Sydney to equal the set recently exhibited by him at the Art Society’s rooms.’ Stephens cited Alfred Stieglitz and Clarence White as American models for Appleby’s gum bichromate work. Appleby and A.H. Adams exhibited bi-chromate prints with the Society of Artists in 1907. He was established in Albury from 1922-23 and Newcastle in 1930-31.
Appleby was still active as a judge of the portrait class in 1938 for the 150th Australian Commemorative Salon in Sydney.
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
- Date written:
- 1999
- Last updated:
- 2022
