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John Passmore Sold at Auction Prices

Painter, b. 1904 - d. 1984

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  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Secret Magic. 4th Dimension. Alchemy, late 1970s
    Dec. 03, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Secret Magic. 4th Dimension. Alchemy, late 1970s

    Est: $1,800 - $3,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Secret Magic. 4th Dimension. Alchemy, late 1970s watercolour, charcoal and ink on paper 52.0 x 78.0cm (20 1/2 x 30 11/16in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Abstract, 1980s
    Dec. 03, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Abstract, 1980s

    Est: $6,000 - $9,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Abstract, 1980s initialled lower right: 'JP' oil on composition board 35.0 x 50.0cm (13 3/4 x 19 11/16in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Figure Studies
    Dec. 03, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Figure Studies

    Est: $1,800 - $3,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Figure Studies pen, ink and coloured wash on paper 53.0 x 76.0cm (20 7/8 x 29 15/16in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Composition with Figures, late 1970's
    Dec. 03, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Composition with Figures, late 1970's

    Est: $7,000 - $10,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Composition with Figures, late 1970's initialled lower right: 'JP' oil on composition board 44.0 x 70.0cm (17 5/16 x 27 9/16in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) In-Out, 1960's
    Dec. 03, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) In-Out, 1960's

    Est: $12,000 - $18,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) In-Out, 1960's initialed lower right: 'JP' oil on composition board 59.0 x 82.0cm (23 1/4 x 32 5/16in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Figure Studies, early 1980s
    Dec. 03, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Figure Studies, early 1980s

    Est: $1,400 - $2,800

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Figure Studies, early 1980s pen, ink and wash on paper 53.0 x 76.0cm (20 7/8 x 29 15/16in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Walk Away, 1960s
    Dec. 03, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Walk Away, 1960s

    Est: $800 - $1,200

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Walk Away, 1960s titled upper right: 'walk away' charcoal, watercolour and coloured pencil on paper 53.0 x 64.0cm (20 7/8 x 25 3/16in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Orange Cobalt Light, Suffolk, England, 1945-46
    Dec. 03, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Orange Cobalt Light, Suffolk, England, 1945-46

    Est: $12,000 - $18,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Orange Cobalt Light, Suffolk, England, 1945-46 initialled and dated lower right: 'JP 45' titled, dated and inscribed verso: 'ORANGE COBALT LIGHT / SUFFOLK ENGLAND 1946 / J. PASSMORE / LINSAY TYE / GAINSBOROUGH COUNTRY' oil on canvas 40.0 x 50.0cm (15 3/4 x 19 11/16in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Boys by a Creek, 1940s
    Dec. 03, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Boys by a Creek, 1940s

    Est: $15,000 - $25,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Boys by a Creek, 1940s initialled lower right: 'JP' oil on canvas 50.0 x 58.0cm (19 11/16 x 22 13/16in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Fresh New Structure, early 1970's
    Dec. 03, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Fresh New Structure, early 1970's

    Est: $7,000 - $10,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Fresh New Structure, early 1970's initialled lower right: 'JP' oil on composition board 68.0 x 73.0cm (26 3/4 x 28 3/4in).

    Bonhams
  • JOHN PASSMORE (1904-1984), Still Life with Fruit and Jug
    Nov. 20, 2024

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904-1984), Still Life with Fruit and Jug

    Est: $8,000 - $12,000

    PROPERTY FORMERLY FROM THE COLLECTION OF RAE ROTHFIELD, MELBOURNE JOHN PASSMORE (1904-1984) Still Life with Fruit and Jug oil on canvas 39.5 x 49.5 cm; 64.0 x 73.5 cm (framed) sketch of a reclining nude verso

    Menzies
  • JOHN PASSMORE, PAINTING, 1954
    Sep. 17, 2024

    JOHN PASSMORE, PAINTING, 1954

    Est: $15,000 - $20,000

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904 - 1984) PAINTING, 1954 oil on composition board 68.5 x 57.5 cm 77.5 x 67.5 cm (frame) PROVENANCE Darlinghurst Galleries, Sydney (label attached verso, signed by John Brackenreg) Dresdner collection, Sydney, acquired from the above on 24 July 1967 Sotheby's, Sydney, 16 May 2018, lot 27 (as 'Figure Study') John Barnes, Melbourne, acquired from the above The Estate of John Barnes, Melbourne © John Passmore Museum, Sydney This work is located in our Melbourne gallery

    Deutscher and Hackett
  • JOHN PASSMORE, UNTITLED, C.1954
    Sep. 17, 2024

    JOHN PASSMORE, UNTITLED, C.1954

    Est: $12,000 - $18,000

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904 - 1984) UNTITLED, c.1954 oil on board 47.0 x 60.0 cm 64.0 x 77.0 cm (frame) signed with initials lower right: J. P. PROVENANCE Collection of the artist, Sydney Collection of Michael Kmit, Sydney, a gift from the above Thence by descent Private collection, Sydney Sotheby's, Melbourne, 27 March 1988, lot 241 John Barnes, Melbourne, acquired from the above The Estate of John Barnes, Melbourne © John Passmore Museum, Sydney This work is located in our Melbourne gallery

    Deutscher and Hackett
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Take Total Entity, c.1982
    Sep. 10, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Take Total Entity, c.1982

    Est: $8,000 - $12,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Take Total Entity, c.1982 initialled lower right: 'JP' oil on canvas 45.0 x 55.0cm (17 11/16 x 21 5/8in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Untitled, 1970s
    Sep. 10, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Untitled, 1970s

    Est: $6,000 - $9,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Untitled, 1970s initalled lower right: 'JP' Oil on composition board 46.0 x 67.0cm (18 1/8 x 26 3/8in).

    Bonhams
  • JOHN PASSMORE (1904-1984), The Catch 1955
    Jun. 26, 2024

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904-1984), The Catch 1955

    Est: $18,000 - $25,000

    PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, SYDNEY JOHN PASSMORE (1904-1984) The Catch 1955 oil on board 34.0 x 62.0 cm; 51.5 x 80.0 cm (framed) signed with initials and dated lower right: J. P 55

    Menzies
  • JOHN PASSMORE, (1904 - 1984), Nothing Take Them Back To This - c1950s, oil on board, 36.5 x 44.5 cm (frame: 51 x 59.5 cm)
    May. 28, 2024

    JOHN PASSMORE, (1904 - 1984), Nothing Take Them Back To This - c1950s, oil on board, 36.5 x 44.5 cm (frame: 51 x 59.5 cm)

    Est: $5,000 - $7,000

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904 - 1984) Nothing Take Them Back To This - c1950s oil on board signed lower right, titled upper left

    Lawsons
  • PASSMORE John (1904-1984), 'Woman on Bed', Oil on Board, 75x99cm
    May. 26, 2024

    PASSMORE John (1904-1984), 'Woman on Bed', Oil on Board, 75x99cm

    Est: $6,000 - $8,000

    PASSMORE, John (1904-1984) 'Woman on Bed' Initialled lower right. Oil on Board 75x99cm PROVENANCE: The Estate of Joy Marchant, Sydney; private collection, Victoria.

    Davidson Auctions
  • JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE - STILL LIFE - OIL ON CANVAS
    May. 21, 2024

    JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE - STILL LIFE - OIL ON CANVAS

    Est: $12,000 - $18,000

    JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE (1904-1984) STILL LIFE Oil on canvas 32 x 37.5cm Estimate $12,000/18,000 AUD

    GFL Fine Art
  • John Passmore, (1904-1984), Landscape, 1957, oil on canvas, 96.5 x 112 cm
    May. 21, 2024

    John Passmore, (1904-1984), Landscape, 1957, oil on canvas, 96.5 x 112 cm

    Est: $8,000 - $12,000

    John Passmore (1904-1984) Landscape, 1957 oil on canvas signed and dated l.r.c. 'JP, '57' signed, dated and titled on stretcher verso, 'John Passmore, 1957, Landscape'

    Shapiro Auctioneers
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Sketch with Figures and Colour Patches, early 1970s
    May. 07, 2024

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Sketch with Figures and Colour Patches, early 1970s

    Est: $7,000 - $10,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Sketch with Figures and Colour Patches, early 1970s initialed lower right: 'J.P.' oil on hardboard 47.0 x 61.5cm (18 1/2 x 24 3/16in).

    Bonhams
  • JOHN PASSMORE (1904-1984), Study for Prawn Boats IV c. 1954
    Apr. 21, 2024

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904-1984), Study for Prawn Boats IV c. 1954

    Est: $2,000 - $3,000

    ink and watercolour on paper 57.5 x 83cm PROVENANCE Lauraine Diggins Fine Art, Melbourne Private Collection, Melbourne

    Gibson's
  • § JOHN PASSMORE 1904-1984 Figure Reclining on Beach oil on composition board 72 x 94.5 cm
    Apr. 17, 2024

    § JOHN PASSMORE 1904-1984 Figure Reclining on Beach oil on composition board 72 x 94.5 cm

    Est: $50,000 - $70,000

    § JOHN PASSMORE 1904-1984 Figure Reclining on Beach oil on composition board 72 x 94.5 cm PROVENANCE John Passmore, Sydney Private Collection Mr Harold Mertz, New York The University of Texas, Austin, United States of America, gift from the above in 1972 (label verso) The Harold E Mertz Collection of Australian Art, Christie's Australia, Melbourne, 28 June 2000, lot 51, illustrated Private Collection, Sydney, acquired from the above Important Australian Art, Smith & Singer (trading as Sotheby's Australia), Sydney, 27 August 2019, lot 3, illustrated Private Collection, New South Wales, acquired from the above EXHIBITED The Mertz Collection of Contemporary Australian Painting, National Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, 10 March - 11 April 1966, no. 70 The Australian Painters 1964-66: Contemporary Australian Painting from the Mertz Collection, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 10 March - 16 April 1967, no. 111, illustrated Legends and Landscape in Australian Art: A Selection of Paintings from the Harold E Mertz Collection at the Archer M Huntington Art Gallery, The University of Texas at Austin, Sarah Campbell Blaffer Gallery, University of Houston, 9 November - 19 December 1986

    Smith & Singer
  • PASSMORE John (1904-1984), 'Bathers,' 1951., Oil on Board, 24.5x34.5cm
    Nov. 25, 2023

    PASSMORE John (1904-1984), 'Bathers,' 1951., Oil on Board, 24.5x34.5cm

    Est: $6,000 - $8,000

    PASSMORE, John (1904-1984) 'Bathers,' 1951. Oil on Board 24.5x34.5cm PROVENANCE: Sotheby's, Melbourne, 24th August 2009 (lot 65)

    Davidson Auctions
  • PASSMORE John (1904-1984), Figures and Boat, Gouache on Newsprint, 15x24cm
    Aug. 20, 2023

    PASSMORE John (1904-1984), Figures and Boat, Gouache on Newsprint, 15x24cm

    Est: $800 - $1,500

    PASSMORE, John (1904-1984) Figures and Boat Unsigned. Newsprint dated December 31st, 1951. Gouache on Newsprint 15x24cm PROVENANCE: The artist; Lou Klepac collection; private collection, Sydney (acquired from the above 2010).

    Davidson Auctions
  • PASSMORE John (1904-1984), Figures by the Sea, with Man Diving., Gouache on Newsprint, 16x14cm
    Aug. 20, 2023

    PASSMORE John (1904-1984), Figures by the Sea, with Man Diving., Gouache on Newsprint, 16x14cm

    Est: $800 - $1,500

    PASSMORE, John (1904-1984) Figures by the Sea, with Man Diving. Unsigned Gouache on Newsprint 16x14cm PROVENANCE: The artist; Lou Klepac collection; private collection, Sydney (acquired from the above 2010).

    Davidson Auctions
  • JOHN PASSMORE, [HARBOUR LANDSCAPE], C.1956
    May. 03, 2023

    JOHN PASSMORE, [HARBOUR LANDSCAPE], C.1956

    Est: $12,000 - $18,000

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904 - 1984) [HARBOUR LANDSCAPE], c.1956 oil on composition board 35.5 x 43.5 cm signed with initials lower right: JP PROVENANCE Private collection, Victoria  © John Passmore Museum, Sydney

    Deutscher and Hackett
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Bathers, c.1930
    Apr. 23, 2023

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Bathers, c.1930

    Est: $6,000 - $9,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Bathers, c.1930 initialled lower right: 'JP' oil on canvas on board 23.0 x 38.0cm (9 1/16 x 14 15/16in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Abstract Sketch, 1970s
    Apr. 23, 2023

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Abstract Sketch, 1970s

    Est: $7,000 - $10,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Abstract Sketch, 1970s initialled lower left: 'JP' inscribed verso: 'OIL SKETCH / C.1970s' oil on composition board 60.0 x 66.0cm (23 5/8 x 26in).

    Bonhams
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Damson Summer, c.1951-54
    Apr. 23, 2023

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Damson Summer, c.1951-54

    Est: $20,000 - $30,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Damson Summer, c.1951-54 oil on canvas 51.0 x 64.0cm (20 1/16 x 25 3/16in).

    Bonhams
  • PASSMORE John (1904-1984), Figures and Boat, Gouache on Newsprint, 15x24cm
    Mar. 19, 2023

    PASSMORE John (1904-1984), Figures and Boat, Gouache on Newsprint, 15x24cm

    Est: $1,000 - $2,000

    PASSMORE, John (1904-1984) Figures and Boat Unsigned. Newsprint dated December 31st, 1951. Gouache on Newsprint 15x24cm PROVENANCE: The artist; Lou Klepac collection; private collection, Sydney (acquired from the above 2010).

    Davidson Auctions
  • PASSMORE John (1904-1984), Figures by the Sea, with Man Diving., Gouache on Newsprint, 16x14cm
    Mar. 19, 2023

    PASSMORE John (1904-1984), Figures by the Sea, with Man Diving., Gouache on Newsprint, 16x14cm

    Est: $1,000 - $2,000

    PASSMORE, John (1904-1984) Figures by the Sea, with Man Diving. Unsigned Gouache on Newsprint 16x14cm PROVENANCE: The artist; Lou Klepac collection; private collection, Sydney (acquired from the above 2010).

    Davidson Auctions
  • John Passmore (1904-1984)
    Nov. 22, 2022

    John Passmore (1904-1984)

    Est: $4,000 - $6,000

    Untitled, 1956 gouache on newspaper

    Shapiro Auctioneers
  • John Passmore (1904-1984)
    Nov. 22, 2022

    John Passmore (1904-1984)

    Est: $4,000 - $6,000

    Untitled, 1956 gouache on newspaper

    Shapiro Auctioneers
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Study for the Prawn Boats IV, c.1954
    Aug. 23, 2022

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Study for the Prawn Boats IV, c.1954

    Est: $3,000 - $5,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Study for the Prawn Boats IV, c.1954 ink and wash on coloured paper 59.0 x 84.0cm (23 1/4 x 33 1/16in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website

    Bonhams
  • JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE - STUDY - Oil on card
    Aug. 21, 2022

    JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE - STUDY - Oil on card

    Est: $3,000 - $5,000

    JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE (1904-1984) STUDY Oil on card 35 x 45cm $3,000/5,000

    GFL Fine Art
  • JOHN PASSMORE, THE SEAGULL, 1958
    Aug. 16, 2022

    JOHN PASSMORE, THE SEAGULL, 1958

    Est: $10,000 - $15,000

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904 – 1984) THE SEAGULL, 1958 oil on newspaper on composition board 43.0 x 61.0 cm 56.5 x 74.5 cm (frame) signed with initials lower right: JP signed and inscribed with date and title verso: John Passmore /”The Seagull”/1958 PROVENANCE The Estate of the Artist, Sydney Fred & Elinor Wrobel, Sydney Christie’s, Melbourne, 11 April 1990, lot 127 Joseph Brown Gallery, Melbourne The Cbus Collection of Australian Art, Melbourne, acquired from the above, 4 February 1991 EXHIBITED BUS Art Collection, Wollongong City Gallery, Wollongong, New South Wales, 16 March – 12 April 1992, cat. 42 on long term loan to Gippsland Art Gallery, Melbourne  LITERATURE Nainby, B., Stanhope, Z., and Furlonger, K., The Cbus Collection of Australian Art, in association with Latrobe Regional Gallery, Melbourne, 2009, pp. 15, 89 (illus.), 228

    Deutscher and Hackett
  • JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE - IN THE STUDIO - Oil on board
    May. 24, 2022

    JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE - IN THE STUDIO - Oil on board

    Est: $35,000 - $55,000

    JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE (1904-1984) IN THE STUDIO Signed lower right Oil on board 77 x 92cm $35,000/55,000

    GFL Fine Art
  • JOHN PASSMORE, THE RED ROCK, 1951
    May. 04, 2022

    JOHN PASSMORE, THE RED ROCK, 1951

    Est: $40,000 - $60,000

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904 - 1984) THE RED ROCK, 1951 oil on hardboard 91.5 x 61.0 cm signed and dated lower right: J. PASSMORE 51 signed and inscribed with title verso: The Red Rock / J. Passmore PROVENANCE Douglas Watson, Sydney Philip Bacon Gallery, Brisbane Private collection, Sydney, acquired from the above in August 1985 EXHIBITED John Passmore, Macquarie Galleries, Sydney, November – December 1951, cat. 5 John Passmore 1904 – 84 Retrospective, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 19 December 1984 – 10 February 1985, cat. 18 LITERATURE Pearce, B., John Passmore 1904 – 84, Retrospective, Art Gallery New South Wales, Sydney, 1985, p. 45 (illus.)  ESSAY John Passmore left Australia for Europe in 1933 and did not return for seventeen years. His years abroad were well spent gaining firsthand knowledge of the old masters and the upheavals in Western painting taking place in Europe and reverberating around the world.   When he returned to Australia in 1951, Passmore became the ‘Pied Piper’ of progressive painting through his various teaching roles, including at the National Art School in Sydney. He was a natural teacher; his wit and enthusiasm inspired his students to look beyond the academic brown Australian paintings of the day towards the innovations of Picasso, Matisse and Cézanne. A gaggle of devoted students hung on his every word and laughed along with his quick wit and humour. His passion for Tintoretto and Rembrandt was front and centre, but it was Cézanne whose influence gripped the artist very early and subsequently wove its way through his entire oeuvre.   Passmore’s friendship with the British painter Keith Vaughan inspired him to look closer at the works of Picasso and Matisse. This led them to revisit some early experimental cubist drawings the pair had developed in the 1930s while working together at Lintas advertising agency. Vaughan’s star was rising and in 1948 he had an exhibition at the Reid and Lefevre Gallery in London. The constructivist works in this exhibition signalled a shift back towards those earlier, cubist sketches he and Passmore had shared. Vaughan’s work from this time had an indelible impact on Passmore. Vaughan’s method of applying equal weight and value to figure, ground and colour, and his tug of war between realism and abstraction became central to Passmore’s work from this time forward.  In The Red Rock, 1951, the push and pull of the warm and cool colours create lush, deep, space that recedes to the distant upper left and draws forward toward the lower frontal third of the work. The two figures bathe carefree in an Idyllic surround. The reflective surface of the water proves to be a helpful pictorial device, allowing the artist to further fragment the light. Daubs of colour are used to pick out the figures, just enough to reward and satisfy the viewer’s scrutiny and need of subject, but once discovered the figures again dissolve into pockets of vibrant local colour. Passmore’s works from this period are some of the most complete paintings of his career. The painted surfaces are worked and reworked until they reach a finely tuned crescendo that quiver with nuance and feel. Passmore wore his influences on his sleeve and The Red Rock, 1951, is an excellent example of John Passmore via Cézanne and Keith Vaughan. At a stretch, we could consider a cameo of Rembrandt’s A Woman Bathing in a Stream, c.1654, for these are studio works and such references are entirely appropriate and legitimate. The Red Rock, 1951 was included in John Passmore’s one-man exhibition at the Macquarie’s Galleries in 1951, an exhibition which marked his return to Sydney and to exhibiting. Notably, Passmore rarely had solo exhibitions, preferring instead the ‘cut and thrust’ of group exhibitions where contemporary works could be compared and critiqued. After all, through the 1960s and far beyond, Passmore’s reputation as a teacher had reached guru status, so the group show would provide him and his work a context where he was most comfortable. HENRY MULHOLLAND © John Passmore Museum, Sydney

    Deutscher and Hackett
  • § JOHN PASSMORE (1904-1984) Untitled (Abstract) gouache on newspaper
    Mar. 22, 2022

    § JOHN PASSMORE (1904-1984) Untitled (Abstract) gouache on newspaper

    Est: $4,000 - $5,000

    § JOHN PASSMORE (1904-1984) Untitled (Abstract) gouache on newspaper signed and dated indistinctly lower right: J. PASSMORE / 19_6 58.5 x 82.5cm PROVENANCE: Lawson~Menzies, Sydney, 23 February 2012, lot 100 (label verso) Private collection, Melbourne

    Leonard Joel
  • JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE (1904 - 84) Bathers, oil on board, circa 1940s, 26.5 x 42cm With Macquarie Galleries label verso "certifying that this painting is an original work by John Passmore, painted in England during the 1940s, from the collection of
    Mar. 08, 2022

    JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE (1904 - 84) Bathers, oil on board, circa 1940s, 26.5 x 42cm With Macquarie Galleries label verso "certifying that this painting is an original work by John Passmore, painted in England during the 1940s, from the collection of

    Est: $8,000 - $12,000

    JOHN RICHARD PASSMORE (1904 - 84) Bathers, oil on board, circa 1940s, 26.5 x 42cm   With Macquarie Galleries label verso "certifying that this painting is an original work by John Passmore, painted in England during the 1940s, from the collection of Mr. Reginald Jenkins, at whose country house Passmore frequently stayed."   Passmore, like so many of Australia’s most rigorous artists who painted in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s, studied Cézanne for most of his professional life. “... There's two things about Cézanne - you can imitate him as much as you like and you can fall flat on your face ... what you have to do is study him as deeply as he studied himself".     

    Leski Auctions Pty Ltd
  • JOHN PASSMORE, GIRL WITH CORN HAIR, c.1952
    Dec. 08, 2021

    JOHN PASSMORE, GIRL WITH CORN HAIR, c.1952

    Est: $20,000 - $30,000

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904 - 1984) GIRL WITH CORN HAIR, c.1952 oil on composition board 35.5 x 59.5 cm signed with initials lower right: JP signed and inscribed with title verso: Girl with Corn Hair / John Passmore PROVENANCE Private collection, Melbourne ESSAY Following his return from Europe in 1951, John Passmore quickly became Sydney’s torchbearer for progressive painting through his teaching roles at Julian Ashton’s, then the National Art School in Sydney. He was a natural teacher, and his outstanding comic talent and pure enthusiasm for painting inspired his students to look beyond the dreary academic brown paintings of the day, toward the European frontier of new painterly possibilities. Through the artistic turbulence of the 1950s, a gaggle of devoted students, including Peter Upward, William Rose and most notably, John Olsen, hung on his every word, savoured his humour, and indulged his habit of uttering Delphic maxims. In his meandering art classes, his passion for Tintoretto and Rembrandt was often front and centre, but it was Paul Cézanne whose influence gripped the artist early and wove its way through his life’s work, as is clearly evident in the present example. Passmore’s commitment to the advancement of painting expressed through his teaching helped to rekindle an earlier abstract art movement which had flickered out during the Second World War. The earlier generation of abstract painters were formal and analytical, combining bright colour with geometry. In contrast, Passmore’s approach was freewheeling, lyrical and expressive, while constantly returning to the figure and Cezanne as the armature for new truths and values in painting. The present example, Girl with Corn Hair, as inscribed verso by the artist is slightly misleading, as observation gently reveals that there are in fact four figures delicately embedded into the painting. The figures are so immersed into the surrounding landscape that they are barely discernible. One figurative touchstone which Passmore allows himself in this work are the deftly painted toes on the feet of the figures, which are visual pointers to the human forms and as such, become tiny gateways to the work. Typically, rhythms of light and shade flood his work, his repertoire of greens and yellows flicker and jostle as they compete for prominence. A dappled light falls across the work which adds to the idle, languid scene. No area of the painting is given more importance than another, and in this regard the synergy between the figures as subject and landscape as ground is crucial to Passmore’s attempts to create a culminated structure in his work. As John Olsen reflecting on Passmore says ‘…He spoke of his desire to create a work which… following Dylan Thomas’s suggestion of the sympathy between man and his environment he could find a way of becoming one with the natural forms he painted.’2  Today he is remembered as an elfin-like guru, a pied piper of fractured surface painting whose influence lives on through generations of lyrical abstract painters. Murray Bail, writing for Passmore’s 1984 – 85 retrospective at the Art Gallery of New South Wales remembers, ‘Gradually over time everything fell away, even his Christian name. Unlike Arthur, Lloyd, Sid, Fred … he became known simply as Passmore. It seemed entirely appropriate, fitting the fact of his isolated shape which had become smaller and tighter. Passmore himself referred to himself as ‘Passmore’.’1  1. Olsen, J., Wrobel tapes 11, 10 March 1984 2. Bail, M., ‘Passmore’s Isolation’, addendum to Pearce, B., John Passmore 1904 – 84, Retrospective, Art Gallery New South Wales, Sydney, 1985 HENRY MULHOLLAND

    Deutscher and Hackett
  • JOHN PASSMORE (1904 - 1984) Working Drawings, 1950's ink and watercolour 20 x 48.5 cm (frame: 41 x 68 x 3 cm) unsigned. Von Bertouch...
    Sep. 23, 2021

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904 - 1984) Working Drawings, 1950's ink and watercolour 20 x 48.5 cm (frame: 41 x 68 x 3 cm) unsigned. Von Bertouch...

    Est: $200 - $300

    JOHN PASSMORE (1904 - 1984) Working Drawings, 1950's ink and watercolour 20 x 48.5 cm (frame: 41 x 68 x 3 cm) unsigned. Von Bertouch Galleries label verso

    Lawsons
  • PASSMORE John (1904-1984), 'Miraculous draft of fishes,' 1952., Pen & Ink, 20x25cm
    Aug. 15, 2021

    PASSMORE John (1904-1984), 'Miraculous draft of fishes,' 1952., Pen & Ink, 20x25cm

    Est: $400 - $700

    PASSMORE, John (1904-1984) 'Miraculous draft of fishes,' 1952. Unsigned. Pen & Ink 20x25cm PROVENANCE: Sir Russell Drysdale; Lou Klepac, Sydney.

    Davidson Auctions
  • PASSMORE John (1904-1984), Still Life, 1950s., Gouache on Newsprint, 23x32cm
    May. 16, 2021

    PASSMORE John (1904-1984), Still Life, 1950s., Gouache on Newsprint, 23x32cm

    Est: $500 - $800

    PASSMORE, John (1904-1984) Still Life, 1950s. Unsigned Gouache on Newsprint 23x32cm PROVENANCE: Russell Drysdale; Lou Klepac, Sydney.

    Davidson Auctions
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Bathers
    Apr. 22, 2021

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Bathers

    Est: $20,000 - $25,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Bathers oil on board 54.0 x 60.0cm (21 1/4 x 23 5/8in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website

    Bonhams
  • Circle of John Passmore (1904 - 1984) Williamstown oil on canvas on board 16.5 x 22 cm (frame: 27x 32 x 3 cm) initialled lower left;...
    Feb. 25, 2021

    Circle of John Passmore (1904 - 1984) Williamstown oil on canvas on board 16.5 x 22 cm (frame: 27x 32 x 3 cm) initialled lower left;...

    Est: $800 - $1,200

    Circle of John Passmore (1904 - 1984) Williamstown oil on canvas on board 16.5 x 22 cm (frame: 27x 32 x 3 cm) initialled lower left; inscribed and titled verso

    Lawsons
  • John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Untitled, 1956
    Nov. 25, 2020

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Untitled, 1956

    Est: $7,000 - $10,000

    John Richard Passmore (1904-1984) Untitled, 1956 gouache on newspaper 59.0 x 82.0cm (23 1/4 x 32 5/16in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website

    Bonhams
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