Not titled [profile of Australian soldier wearing slouch hat]

Place Oceania: Australia, New South Wales, Sydney
Accession Number ART28499.004
Collection type Art
Measurement sheet: 27.9 cm x 21.5 cm; image: 22 x 17.4 cm
Object type Work on paper
Physical description pencil on paper
Maker Gardener, Arthur
Place made Australia: New South Wales, Sydney
Date made 1943
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: AWM Licensed copyright

Description

Profile of an Australian soldier wearing a slouch hat and army shirt. There is a small study of a nose to the right of the soldier. Arthur Gardener changed his name from Baumgarten after he migrated to Australia at the age of 30 on the 8th of March 1938, landing at Fremantle. "I was prompted to this decision by economic and political reasons, seeing no future for me and my wife in fascistic Austria under Schuschnig's government" he wrote. In Australia, at the age of 58, Private Arthur Gardener, assisted in the efforts of the Second World War on the home front in the 3rd Australian Employment Coy (N303400). This sketch belongs to an artist sketch book contains portrait and figure studies from the American Red Cross Club, Sydney, 1943. The works within in this sketchbook were done while Gardener was working as a picket at Mascot Unit Headquarters in Sydney. 'Whilst at camp in Mascot, [Gardener] preferred to spend his evenings, when not on picket duty, at the American Club, where painting and drawing classes had been organised.' It comprises of 16 leaflets and 15 compositions. The sketchbook has a hard grey cover, dark blue printed text, red binding and a printed image of a stag on the verso.