Artist Profiles

Louis McCubbin
1890-1952

The son of artist Frederick McCubbin, Louis McCubbin was born in Melbourne in 1890, and studied at the National Gallery School from 1906 until 1911. In 1916, he enlisted with the 14th Battalion of the AIF and served in France from November 1917 with the 10th Field Ambulance. McCubbin undertook a camouflage course in 1918 and became one of five soldiers already serving with the AIF to be appointed an official war artist affiliated with the Australian War Records Section.

AWM ART03043
Louis McCubbin
Peronne. Heavy artillery advancing through the town
AWM ART03043

McCubbin worked as Officer-in-Charge of Camouflage for the 3rd Division AIF. His appointment ceased in 1920. The same year, he returned to Australia and was employed, until 1930, by the Australian War Memorial to paint the backgrounds to the dioramas. He also produced numerous watercolour preparatory sketches and two series of paintings to complement the dioramas. McCubbin was re-employed by the Memorial from 1935-1936 to undertake commissions for large paintings. These include Peronne, Heavy artillery advancing through the town, 1918 (ART03043) and Sailly-le-Sec, 1918 (ART03122), both depicting war damage on the Western Front. The Memorial holds almost two hundred paintings and drawings by the artist.

From 1936 until 1950, McCubbin was Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia and received an OBE for his services to art in 1947. During the Second World War, he was a member of the Memorial's Art Committee. He was also a member of the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board from 1945 until his death in Melbourne in 1952.