Maria Holgate was born in 1865 and at 21, commenced her studies at Melbourne’s National Gallery School, studying across 1886 – 1892. This was a period where Frederick McCubbin was a teacher and George Frederick Folingsby and then Lindsay Bernard Hall where Heads of the School (and also teachers of painting). While a student, the book “More than Just Gumtrees” (J Peers, 1993) states that Holgate obviously admired the work of Tom Roberts and knew the artist, as he gave her a study of 'Chrysanthemums’ when she was a student.
Holgate exhibited as a student at the fifth annual exhibition of paintings by the students of the National Gallery in 1888, where she received an honourable mention.
Her first recorded exhibition after studying was at the Victorian Artists Society (VAS) Exhibition of 1893 where she exhibited three paintings. At the VAS Spring of 1920 Exhibition, she exhibited with artists such as Arthur Streeton, with her landscape painting “being noticeable” as described by a critic at the time.
Holgate was a member of the Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors and exhibited with the society between 1907 to 1938.
Holgate exhibited at the 1934 exhibition titled “Women Artists in Australia – A Representative Exhibition” held in Sydney. Artists such as Florence Rodway, Nora Heysen and A.M.E Bale featured at this national exhibition. Holgate’s work, as with some other select artists, was noted as being painted with a “fine technical skill”.
She held later joint exhibitions in with Annie Gates at the Athenaeum Gallery in 1934 and 1936 where she exhibited 50 and 39 paintings respectively. She also held a joint exhibition with Annie Gates and other women artists at the Athenaeum Gallery in April of 1938.
Holgate died suddenly at her residence in November 1938, and her death notice states that there were a number of beautiful floral tributes bearing messages of sympathy and regret from her many friends.
Holgate’s painting “Bush Track” is held by the State Library of Victoria.
- Writers:
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- Date written:
- 2023
- Last updated:
- 2023
