Ruth Hollick b. 17 March 1883

Also known as Ruth Miriam Hollick
  • Artist (Photographer)
Photographer, during the early 1920s established her reputation as one of Melbourne's leading photographic portraitists. She became renowned for her child photography.
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photographer, was born in Williamstown, Victoria, on 17 March 1883. That year, the family moved to the nearby Melbourne suburb of Moonee Ponds. In 1902-6 she was a student at the National Gallery School where she formed lifelong friendships with other women artists, notably Dora Wilson and Pegg Clarke . The earliest evidence of Hollick’s interest in photography dates from about 1907, when she began to make portraits in a small darkroom set up in the family home. The following year she commenced her professional career. In 1908-09 she travelled by car through west and north-western Victoria advertising her services as a portrait photographer at various country towns en route . Within three years she had established a studio in Moonee Ponds from which she operated for much of her career. In 1918, however, Hollick and her partner, Dorothy Izard, took over the Collins Street studio of May and Mina Moore . Here Hollick established her reputation as one of Melbourne’s leading photographic portraitists.

She produced society portraits of wealthy Melbourne women as debutantes, brides and young matrons as well as fashion plates and portraits of visiting celebrities; she took the official Australian portrait of the American aviatrix Amy Johnson on her world tour in 1930. In particular, she became renowned for her child photography. Her seemingly casual, candid portraits belie her adept handling of her subjects and her expertise in the use of both studio and natural lighting. Hollick’s photographs were regularly published in Art in Australia , Home and Harrington’s Photographic Journal during the 1920s-30s. She also participated in numerous photographic exhibitions and salons, including the London Salon of Photography (1920), the Chicago Photographic Exhibition and the Colonial Exhibition of the Royal Photographic Society in London (both 1927). In 1929 she was the only woman exhibitor in the Melbourne Exhibition of Pictorial Photography. She held her only solo exhibition at her Collins Street studio in 1928. The Depression forced her to close the city studio. In 1932 she recommenced working from her home in Moonee Ponds, where she continued to take photographs until 1950. Then, aged sixty-seven, she retired from business to travel.

Writers:
Wyk, Susan Van Note: Primary
Date written:
1995
Last updated:
2011

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References [<ExternalResource: Ennis, H. (2000), 'Mirror with a Memory', National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, ACT, Includes a wonderful gelatin silver photograph of young society women posed in a tableau, possibly of 'Spring' c.1925-35 (La Trobe Collection, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne, Vic).>, <ExternalResource: Crombie, Isobel (1993), 'In a New Light: Aspects of Australian Pictorialist Photography', National Gallery of Victoria catalogue, Melbourne, Vic.>, <ExternalResource: Ennis, H. (2000), 'Mirror with a Memory', National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, ACT, Includes a wonderful gelatin silver photograph of young society women posed in a tableau, possibly of 'Spring' c.1925-35 (La Trobe Collection, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne, Vic).>, <ExternalResource: Hall, Barbara & Mather, Jenni (1986), 'Australian Women Photographers 1840-1960', Richmond, Vic.>, <ExternalResource: Maddigan, Judy (1993), 'Ruth Hollick', Essendon Historical Society exhibition catalogue, Moonee Ponds, Vic.>] [<ExternalResource: Ennis, H. (2000), 'Mirror with a Memory', National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, ACT, Includes a wonderful gelatin silver photograph of young society women posed in a tableau, possibly of 'Spring' c.1925-35 (La Trobe Collection, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne, Vic).>]