Sidney Nolan, ‘Paradise Garden’ Panel, signed & dated 1967

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Sidney Nolan  (1917-92)

‘Paradise Garden’ Panel

Oil on board panel

signed & dated along a branch,

‘Nolan / 1967

49x44cm framed

This work is by one of Australia’s ‘great’ artists of the 20th century, Sidney Nolan.

Finding fame in Melbourne in the 1940’s, in particular his iconic Ned Kelley images, he established himself in London in the 1950’s.
Inspired by his garden there, he began to paint natural, organic forms. This grew in magnitude, and 1968 is given as the year he embarked on his most ambitious project – Paradise Garden.
In 1968, a large number of the small works – placed edge to edge – were displayed at the Aldeburgh Festival of Music and Art. This was a perfect place for display, as Nolan cited  British composer Benjamin Britten’s cantata ‘Rejoice in the Lamb’ as a direct influence. This in turn was inspired by 18th century poet, Christopher Smart’s works, which have a heavy reliance of botanical references and the ‘language of flowers’, used to praise the creator.

By 1970, there were over 1320 ready for installation in the brand-new National Gallery of Victoria. They were grouped according to colour tones, in twin columns three high, forming groups of six that gave an impression of a casement window looking into a garden. These were stacked four high, side by side – a grid twelve paintings high, 110 paintings wide – measuring 4.5 meters high, and nearly 50 meters wide!

It was taken to the Tate Gallery in London in 1972 and displayed at his retrospective in Dublin in 1973, after which it was stored – until on a visit to Melbourne in 1982, Nolan impulsively gave it to the Arts Centre Melbourne.

Some portions were put on display in the Hamer Hall foyer, while a large portion are on view in the State Theatre circle foyer of the Theatres Building.

Provenance: from the collection of a National Gallery employee, who purchased this panel from the surplus paintings from the original installation; apparently a small number were made available to NGV employees. Interestingly, the official date for the ‘Paradise Garden’ is 1968-70, while this work is a year earlier.

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