William (1936) Robinson Paintings & Artwork for Sale | William (1936) Robinson Art Value Price Guide

Oct. 30, 2024
WILLIAM ROBINSON, (1936 -), Landscape with Three Suns, 1991, etching and aquatint, ed. 1/25, 29 x 32 cm. (11.4 x 12.6 in.), frame: 54 x 56 x 3 cm. (21.2 x 22.0 x 1.1 in.)
Est: $600 - $800
WILLIAM ROBINSON (1936 - ) Landscape with Three Suns, 1991 etching and aquatint, ed. 1/25 signed and dated lower right to margin: William Robinson 199, Philip Bacon Galleries label verso
Lawsons
Oct. 17, 2024
WILLIAM ROBINSON, (1936 -), Landscape with Three Suns, 1991, etching and aquatint, ed. 1/25, 29 x 32 cm. (11.4 x 12.6 in.), frame: 54 x 56 x 3 cm. (21.2 x 22.0 x 1.1 in.)
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
WILLIAM ROBINSON (1936 - ) Landscape with Three Suns, 1991 etching and aquatint, ed. 1/25 signed and dated lower right to margin: William Robinson 199, Philip Bacon Galleries label verso
Lawsons
Oct. 08, 2024
WILLIAM ROBINSON, (1936 -), Rooster in Flight with Hens, 1979, etching, ed. 3/12, 39 x 32.5cm (frame: 49 x 42 cm)
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
WILLIAM ROBINSON (1936 - ) Rooster in Flight with Hens, 1979 etching, ed. 3/12 signed and editioned lower right
Lawsons
Sep. 29, 2024
WILLIAM ROBINSON, (1936 -), Landscape with Three Suns, 1991, etching and aquatint, ed. 1/25, 29 x 32 cm. (11.4 x 12.6 in.), frame: 54 x 56 x 3 cm. (21.2 x 22.0 x 1.1 in.)
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
WILLIAM ROBINSON (1936 - ) Landscape with Three Suns, 1991 etching and aquatint, ed. 1/25 signed and dated lower right
Lawsons
Sep. 24, 2024
William Robinson, (b. 1936), Portrait with Cow, oil on board, 23 x 26.5 cm
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
William Robinson (b. 1936) Portrait with Cow oil on board signed l.l.c. 'W.R.'
Shapiro Auctioneers
Sep. 24, 2024
William Robinson, (b. 1936), Objects, 1978, pastel on paper, 17.5 x 27.5 cm
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
William Robinson (b. 1936) Objects, 1978 pastel on paper signed and dated lower right 'William Robinson '78'
Shapiro Auctioneers
Sep. 22, 2024
William Robinson California Painting Eucalyptus Trees 1935
Est: $350 - $450
William Robinson California Painting Eucalyptus Trees 1935. Signed. Excellent condition. 8"h x 10"w. Frame 11 3/8"h x 13.5"w.
California Historical Design, Inc
Aug. 26, 2024
William Robinson, Australia (b.1936), Earth & Sea I 1995 Creation Series, Colour lithograph ed. 62/75
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
William Robinson Australia (b.1936) Earth & Sea I 1995 Creation Series Colour lithograph ed. 62/75 Signed, titled & dated lower margin
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
Jun. 25, 2024
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Study of Trees 1998 coloured pencil and wash on paper 31.5 x 22.5cm
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Study of Trees 1998 coloured pencil and wash on paper signed, titled and dated lower right: William Robinson 98/ Study of Trees signed, titled and dated on unknown label verso 31.5 x 22.5cm PROVENANCE: Private collection, Sydney
Leonard Joel
Nov. 29, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936, Springbrook Cliffs with Waterfalls 1997
Est: $250,000 - $350,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Springbrook Cliffs with Waterfalls 1997 oil on canvas 138.5 x 183.0 cm; 141.0 x 186.5 cm (framed) signed and dated lower right: William Robinson 97
Menzies
Nov. 22, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON, BIRKDALE FARM CONSTRUCTION WITH AUSTRALORPS, 1982 - 83
Est: $300,000 - $400,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 BIRKDALE FARM CONSTRUCTION WITH AUSTRALORPS, 1982 - 83 oil on canvas 122.0 x 183.0 cm signed lower right: William Robinson bears inscription verso: FARMYARD CONSTRUCTION PROVENANCE Ray Hughes Gallery, Brisbane Private collection Martin Browne Fine Art, Sydney Dr Peter Elliott AM, Sydney The Peter Elliott Collection, Mossgreen, Sydney, 30 August 2015, lot 7 The Estate of the Late Alan Cardy, Sydney EXHIBITED William Robinson, Ray Hughes Gallery, Brisbane, 1985 (as ‘Birkdale Farm Construction’) William Robinson, The Revelation of the Landscape, S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney, 11 January - 2 March 2003 and Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, 1 April – 18 May 2003, cat. 1 William Robinson: The Farmyards, William Robinson Gallery, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 23 July 2013 - 8 June 2014 LITERATURE Art and Australia, 1984, vol. 21, no. 3, p. 405 (illus. as ‘Birkdale Farm Construction, 1983’) Watters, J., William Robinson, The Revelation of the Landscape, National Trust of Australia, Sydney, 2003, p. 40 Low, L. A., 'Wreck 'n' roll', Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, 1 February 2003, p. 11 Fry, G., The Peter Elliott Collection of Australian Art, The Beagle Press, Sydney, 2013, cat. 110, pp. 114 - 115 (illus.) Robinson, W., William Robinson: The Farmyards, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 2013, p. 34 (illus.) ESSAY William Robinson’s farmyard paintings are central to his development as a painter because they form an important stepping stone toward his unique view of the Australian landscape. Birkdale Farm Construction with Australorps, 1982 – 83, is one of the major examples that form the core of this important series. Robinson’s ‘farmyards’ may be seen as microcosms of his world at the time they were created. The usual menagerie of characters are present in the work: Josephine the cow, goats, ducks and chooks (Australorps in this instance) make up the composition. These animals were probably closer to family pets than anything else and Robinson imbues each with a distinct character and personality. At times the arrangements mischievously reflect the machinations of the Brisbane art scene. The playful, political allusions may also reflect the internal politicking of the art school staff room where he worked as a teacher. In his own words and with an Orwellian overtone, Robinson’s depictions give ‘…some feeling of the relationship of man to domestic animals and also the relationship that exists within the world of these animals’.1 Of course, the whimsical nature of Robinson’s farmyards, along with his hidden innuendo belie the seriousness of these works, for his farmyard series are dissertations on the values of Western painting. The primary influence of modern masters such as Cézanne, Braque, Bonnard and Morandi are all present and each informs the structure of Robinson’s compositions in their own way. We can also assume the influence of the Australian artist Ken Whisson, with whom Robinson shared the walls of the Ray Hughes Gallery many times during the 1970s and 80s. Whisson’s robust distortion of pictorial space during the 1970s culminated in unconventional arrangements, which arguably helped Robinson lay the groundwork for his distorted farmyard paintings. Robinson’s dealer in these early years was Ray Hughes (1946 – 2017) whose commitment to Robinson was total, verging on obsessive. At times he would violently defend the artist’s importance in the face the cool curatorial currents of the day. It was a winning combination of complimentary opposites; Robinson presented as the shy painter quietly working away on his hobby farm, while the urbane, bon vivant Ray Hughes lead from the front showcasing the work. Eventually the artworld and curators fell into line and Robinson’s work became highly sought-after. Hughes’ efforts and belief in the artist paid off in spades as Robinson was now selling out exhibitions, winning major prizes and living on the proceeds of sales, which enabled him to retire from teaching and to begin painting full time. By then Ray Hughes’s gaggle of loyal collectors, most notably Dr Colin Laverty and Dr Peter Elliott, had well-stocked holdings of the artist’s works. The current work was central to Elliott’s collection and took pride of place alongside Whiteley and Williams in his Potts Point home for decades before it was acquired by Alan Cardy in 2015. Major Robinson farmyard paintings such as Birkdale Farm Construction with Australorps will continue to be a touchstone to a time when Robinson was searching for a language that would eventually alter the way we view the Australian landscape through the soaring, majestic landscapes for which the artist became most well-known. 1. Robinson, W., in conversation with the Gold Coast City Art Gallery, 1998, cited in Walsh, J., ‘Goats, Cows and Chooks: The Painters Farmyard’, in Seear, L. (ed.), Darkness and Light: The Art of William Robinson, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, 2001, p. 72 HENRY MULHOLLAND
Deutscher and Hackett
Oct. 19, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON (1936 - ) - Cloudy Sun, 1992 colour lithograph, ed. 6/35 36.5 x 46.5 cm (frame: 74 x 82 x 4 cm)
Est: $500 - $700
WILLIAM ROBINSON (1936 - ) Cloudy Sun, 1992 colour lithograph, ed. 6/35 36.5 x 46.5 cm (frame: 74 x 82 x 4 cm) signed and dated lower right
Lawsons
Oct. 10, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON, LIFESAVER AND BODYBUILDER, 1997
Est: $8,000 - $10,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 LIFESAVER AND BODYBUILDER, 1997 hand painted and glazed stoneware 51.0 x 47.0 x 26.0 cm signed and dated at base: William Robinson 97 inscribed on base: ERROL BARNES / LIFESAVER AND / BODYBUILDER PROVENANCE Private collection, Queensland, acquired directly from the artist This work is located in our Sydney Gallery
Deutscher and Hackett
Oct. 10, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON, FARMYARD PLATTER, 1989
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 FARMYARD PLATTER, 1989 hand painted and glazed ceramic 44.0 cm (diameter) signed on base: William Robinson inscribed on base: ERROL BARNES '89 PROVENANCE Private collection, Queensland, acquired directly from the artist This work is located in our Sydney Gallery
Deutscher and Hackett
Sep. 20, 2023
William Robinson (b. 1936) Study for Trees, 1998
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
coloured pencil and wash on paper
Shapiro Auctioneers
Jun. 28, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936, Rainforest with Botan Creek 1989
Est: $120,000 - $180,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Rainforest with Botan Creek 1989 oil on canvas 147.5 x 193.0 cm signed lower left: William Robinson
Menzies
May. 04, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Landscape with Three Suns 1991 etching, ed. B.A.T
Est: $300 - $500
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Landscape with Three Suns 1991 etching, ed. B.A.T signed and dated lower right: William Robinson 91 titled lower centre editioned lower left 29 x 32cm PROVENANCE: Neil Leveson, Melbourne Thence by descent Private collection, Melbourne OTHER NOTES: PLEASE NOTE THIS WORK IS UNFRAMED.
Leonard Joel
May. 04, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Gorilla 1990 lithograph, ed. P/P 1/2
Est: $200 - $400
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Gorilla 1990 lithograph, ed. P/P 1/2 signed and dated lower right: William Robinson 90 titled lower centre editioned lower left 76 x 56.5cm (sheet) PROVENANCE: Neil Leveson, Melbourne Thence by descent Private collection, Melbourne OTHER NOTES: PLEASE NOTE THIS WORK IS UNFRAMED.
Leonard Joel
May. 03, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON, SUN AND LIGHT RAIN NUMINBAH, 2004
Est: $40,000 - $60,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 SUN AND LIGHT RAIN NUMINBAH, 2004 oil on linen 51.0 x 66.0 cm signed and dated lower left: William Robinson 2004 bears inscription on backing board verso: SUN AND LIGHT RAIN NUMINBAH PROVENANCE Australian Galleries, Sydney (label attached verso) Private collection, New South Wales, acquired from the above in 2005 EXHIBITED William Robinson, Australian Galleries, Melbourne, 21 – 29 May 2005; Sydney, 14 June – 2 July 2005, cat. 19 (illus. in exhibition catalogue, p. 51) ESSAY In relation to a sense of place, William Robinson has made a unique contribution to the Australian landscape tradition, moving beyond conventional notions to encompass a fluctuating environment; of rainforest and ocean, ground and sky, day and night, elemental forces of wind, lightning, rain and fire. His multidimensional grasp of time and space also suggests metaphors for states of mind and being, life and death, continuity and transcendence. The profound spiritual resonances in Robinson’s art remind us of the need to preserve an ancient natural world in the present; ‘to keep the faith’, as Simon Schama wrote in Landscape and Memory, ‘with a future on this tough, lovely old planet’.1 Robinson’s treatment of the horizon and distorted perspective set him apart from his contemporaries. While many Australian landscape painters traditionally looked towards the arid interior for inspiration, he embraces the lush south-eastern Queensland mountain ranges. The dramatic features of the granite belt, with its soaring cliffs, meandering rivers, creeks and waterfalls, offer the perfect subject for Robinson to flaunt his painterly innovations. The steep ravines, high annual rainfall and proximity to the coast combine to provide dramatic weather shifts, which Robinson exploits wilfully. As the title of S un and Light Rain, Numinbah, 2004 suggests, it is the ephemeral beauty of this landscape which captivates the artist. He gives equal weight to the physical grandeur of the ancient forms, as he does to the intangible elements of light, mist, mood and atmosphere. In the act of painting there is a tipping point where the image takes over and a seamless synergy occurs between the artist, their materials and subject. The artist becomes the vehicle for the work and almost takes a backseat as the painting evolves in inspired revelation. Artists sometimes refer to a work as ‘painting itself’ when describing this shaman-like relationship between the artist and subject. Robinson arrives at this point early and you can feel the urgency his works attain as they reach toward a higher state of observation and translation. Each new painting builds on the achievements of the previous one as he pushes the boundaries of his artistic abilities and the conventions of landscape painting. This state of oneness with his work is achieved by continuous immersion in the act of creation and Robinson typically works every day, all day – except Sundays. God rested on the sabbath and so does Robbo, reserving this day for reflection and music in humble observance of the Maker’s achievements. The artist is a deeply spiritual man and his paintings are to be viewed as a personal homage to his creator. The current example conveys this more than others, the central image of painting is the sunrise to the east, which may be considered as the first of its kind. Like the renaissance masters Robinson so much admires, he looks to the heavens for the essence of his inspiration. 1. Hart, D., ‘William Robinson’s artistic development: An intimate and expansive journey’ in William Robinson, A Transfigured Landscape, Queensland University of Technology and Piper Press, Brisbane, 2011, p. 38 HENRY MULHOLLAND
Deutscher and Hackett
May. 03, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON, CHOOK YARD WITH BATH-TANK, C.1984
Est: $100,000 - $140,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 CHOOK YARD WITH BATH-TANK, c.1984 oil on linen 72.0 x 87.0 cm signed lower right: William Robinson bears inscription on stretcher bar verso: “CHOOK YARD WITH BATH-TANK” PROVENANCE Art Galleries Schubert, Queensland (label attached verso) Private collection Phillips Auctioneers, Sydney, 23 May 2000, lot 25 Private collection Deutscher~Menzies, Melbourne, 1 May 2002, lot 23 Private collection, Victoria ESSAY It would be foolish to dismiss Robinson’s early Farmyard paintings as quirky humorous vignettes. These portrayals of the animals and farm detritus that occupied Robinson’s hobby farm are complex compositional arrangements, which ultimately pointed to way towards Robinson’s celebrated mature landscapes. When these works were initially exhibited at the Ray Hughes Gallery in Brisbane, Robinson was exhibiting alongside the Australian artist Ken Whisson (1927 – 2022). Whisson, by now had been resident in Italy for several years, while Robinson was still teaching at the Kelvin Grove campus of the CAE; a position he would keep until he retired in 1989 to begin painting full time. At around this time, Robinson’s compositional experiments had him poised on the precipice of convention and his exposure to the rigour of Whisson’s approach may well have metaphorically eased him over. The whimsical farmyard paintings are in fact variable compositional arrangements, each one a further version of the other. The cows become regular features of his work and are recognisable by the names as we have come to know them through other examples. In the Chook Yard with Bath-Tank, c.1984, Josephine peers suspiciously from behind the water tank and Rosie trots at pace towards the viewer – farmer – artist. As the years passed, Robinson’s view finder would zoom out and away from the features of the farm and begin to take in the surrounding landscape. And it was from this base that the majestic works he is best known for developed. In the years that followed he would exhibit annually at the Ray Hughes Gallery. The group of artists that exhibited with Ray Hughes in those years would pursue major art prizes such as the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman as a pack. Robinson would go on to win the Archibald and Wynne prizes twice; Davida Allen and Keith Looby from the same stable would also win the Archibald Prize. Robinson’s place in the canon of Australian art has long been secured. His landscape paintings in the years since these farmyard works began are considered among the most accomplished in the land. Whereas many landscape painters were drawn to the romantic heroics of the outback however, Robinson stuck to the lush hinterland of the east coast. In the mid-nineties following trips to Europe, his paintings gained a profound spiritual resonance as the artist looked closer to the heavens as the source of his inspiration – a long way from these humble farmyard paintings that were the springboard for the towering, spiritual crescendos that followed. HENRY MULHOLLAND
Deutscher and Hackett
May. 02, 2023
§ WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Bright Sea 2007 oil on linen
Est: $50,000 - $60,000
§ WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Bright Sea 2007 oil on linen signed and dated 'William Robinson '07' lower left 52 x 77 cm PROVENANCE William Robinson, Queensland Australian Galleries, Melbourne (label verso) Private Collection, Sydney Australian and International Art, Shapiro Auctioneers, Sydney, 25 August 2014, lot 50, illustrated Private Collection, Sydney, acquired from the above Australian & International Art, Shapiro Auctioneers, Sydney, 27 August 2018, lot 21, illustrated Private Collection, Sydney, acquired from the above EXHIBITED William Robinson: Paintings and Lithographs 2000-2007, Australian Galleries, Sydney, 2-24 October 2007; Australian Galleries, Melbourne, 13 November - 9 December 2007, no. 19, illustrated LITERATURE Stephen Rainbird, William Robinson: Paintings and Lithographs 2000-2007, Australian Galleries, Melbourne, 2007, pp. 53 (illustrated), 84
Smith & Singer
Apr. 20, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Landscape with Three Suns 1991 etching, ed. B.A.T
Est: $400 - $600
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Landscape with Three Suns 1991 etching, ed. B.A.T signed and dated lower right: William Robinson 91 titled lower centre editioned lower left 29 x 32cm PROVENANCE: Neil Leveson, Melbourne Thence by descent Private collection, Melbourne OTHER NOTES: PLEASE NOTE THIS WORK IS UNFRAMED.
Leonard Joel
Apr. 05, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Creation Landscape: Water and Land 1991 lithograph (3), ed. B.A.T
Est: $3,000 - $4,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Creation Landscape: Water and Land 1991 lithograph (3), ed. B.A.T signed and dated lower right: William Robinson 91 (each) titled lower centre (each) editioned lower left (each) 55.5 x 70cm (each) PROVENANCE: Neil Leveson, Melbourne Thence by descent OTHER NOTES: RELATED WORK: Creation Landscape: Water and Land 1991, oil on canvas (triptych), 183 x 732cm (overall), Private collection.
Leonard Joel
Mar. 29, 2023
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936, Farm II 1982
Est: $200,000 - $300,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Farm II 1982 oil on canvas 131.5 x 193.0 cm signed lower left: William Robinson
Menzies
Dec. 13, 2022
WILLIAM ROBINSON, TOWN AND COUNTRY, 1993
Est: $9,000 - $12,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 TOWN AND COUNTRY, 1993 hand painted and glazed stoneware 67.0 cm (height) signed and dated on side edge: William Robinson 93 / ERROL BARNES bears inscription with title at base: TOWN AND COUNTRY PROVENANCE Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney The Laverty Collection, Sydney, acquired from the above in 1993 LITERATURE Hart, D., and Stringer, R., William Robinson : the Transfigured Landscape, Piper Press in association with the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 2011, p. 182 (illus.) RELATED WORK Self Portrait for Town and Country, 1991, oil on canvas, 138.0 x 148.0 cm, private collection This work is located in our Melbourne Gallery
Deutscher and Hackett
Nov. 16, 2022
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Sunset with Divers and Bathers 1990 lithograph, ed. P/P
Est: $600 - $800
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) Sunset with Divers and Bathers 1990 lithograph, ed. P/P signed and dated lower right: William Robinson 90 editioned lower left titled lower centre 42 x 62cm PROVENANCE: Neil Leveson, Melbourne Thence by descent Private collection, Melbourne
Leonard Joel
Oct. 04, 2022
WILLIAM ROBINSON, MORNING FARMYARD CONSTRUCTION, 1993
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 MORNING FARMYARD CONSTRUCTION, 1993 hand painted and glazed stoneware 74.0 cm height signed and dated at base: William Robinson / 93/ ERROL BARNES bears inscription with title at base: MORNING FARMYARD CONSTRUCTION PROVENANCE Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney The Laverty Collection, Sydney, acquired from the above in July 1993 EXHIBITED Dissertations on a Dozen Asmat Shields, Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney, 16 April – 8 May 1993; The Monash Studios, Melbourne, 1 –18 June 1993 LITERATURE Hart, D. (et. al), William Robinson. The Transfigured Landscape, Queensland University of Technology and Piper Press, Brisbane, 2011, p. 183 (illus.) This work is located in our Melbourne Gallery
Deutscher and Hackett
Sep. 18, 2022
William Robinson (Australia 1936-) "The Boat Ride" circa 1960 oil on board
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
William Robinson (Australia 1936-) "The Boat Ride" circa 1960 oil on board signed lower right, titled verso, with certificate of authenticity from Australia Galleries 26-05-2020, 55 x 69 cm. Provenance Estate of Gillian Chapman.
Amanda Addams Auctions
Sep. 17, 2022
William Robinson California Painting Eucalyptus Trees 1935
Est: $600 - $800
William Robinson California Painting Eucalyptus Trees 1935. Signed. Excellent condition. 8"h x 10"w. Frame 11 3/8"h x 13.5"w. Spend $5000 or more at this auction and all of your SHIPPING IS FREE within the lower 48 states. SHIPPING We box and ship ourselves, to keep shipping costs low. We do not use a packaging service, unless the customer prefers us to use them. We can ship either USPS or Fed Ex Ground. We deliver most larger pieces ourselves on the west coast and we make a loop around the US within approximately 60 days after the auction. No matter where you live in the lower 48 states, we look forward to personally meeting you and delivering larger pieces directly to your house. Most larger pieces can be hand delivered for $300 almost anywhere in the lower 48 states. For estimated shipping times of larger pieces, please call or email us before you bid.
California Historical Design, Inc
Sep. 15, 2022
WILLIAM ROBINSON (1936 - ) Seated Nude pencil on paper 21.5 x 33 cm (frame: 40 x 50 x 2 cm) signed lower right
Est: $500 - $700
WILLIAM ROBINSON (1936 - ) Seated Nude pencil on paper 21.5 x 33 cm (frame: 40 x 50 x 2 cm) signed lower right
Lawsons
Sep. 14, 2022
WILLIAM ROBINSON, SUNSET ENCOUNTER, C.1988
Est: $40,000 - $60,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 SUNSET ENCOUNTER, c.1988 oil on canvas 48.5 x 55.5 cm signed lower right: William Robinson inscribed with title verso: SUNSET ENCOUNTER PROVENANCE Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney Jack Manton, Queensland Thence by descent Jennifer Manton, Sydney Estate of the above, Sydney EXHIBITED William Robinson, Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney, 28 October – 22 November 1989 RELATED WORK Equestrian Self–Portrait, 1987, oil on linen, 136.0 x 188.0 cm, in the collection of Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Winner of 1987 Archibald Prize ESSAY This delightful, whimsical painting by Robinson is typical of the artist at the time. Robinson was gaining great critical recognition for his work, and both he and his wife Shirley were enjoying the commercial success that came with it. Accordingly, Sunset Encounter, c.1988 has a happy, celebratory feel, depicting Bill and Shirley as they jaunt about their recently purchased bush property at Beechmont, rounding up stray cows, and generally cavorting and delighting in each-other’s company. Bill Robinson, the artist, is shown riding his horse; the same horse on which he depicted himself in his first of two Archibald Prize winning portraits, Equestrian Self-Portrait, 1987. In Robinson’s own words, he explains the genesis of his work from this period: ‘The story of these paintings begins in 1984, when I moved from a small farm to two hundred acres of bush, rainforest and cliffs at Beechmont in Southern Queensland. This landscape was very elusive to me and I began to paint it with the figures of Shirley and William walking in it with cows and wildlife. I tried to describe the feeling of being in the landscape and walking around in it – climbing grassy hills looking up through the gum trees to the sky, and down steep cliffs to the valley below; being blown by strong winds, caught in the lightning and rain; being in the landscape with a torch looking for cows and with the night sky so brilliant with the moon and stars, encountering dingos, snakes, kangaroos and birds.’1 Robinson often deploys humour in his portraits and also references other artists’ work. For example, his second Archibald prize Self-Portrait with Stunned Mullet, 1994 takes its cheeky smile from William Hogarth’s The Shrimp Girl, 1740 – 45, while in Equestrian Self-Portrait, 1987, together with the present example, the artist parodies European noblemen as they preferred to have themselves portrayed – perched high upon a fine steed while prancing about in full military regalia. Thus, Robinson here depicts himself as the hero riding forth to rescue Shirley who is shown marooned on a rock surrounded by water, as she waves her arms gesturing in a theatrical, ‘only you can save me William’ manner. The corona effect around Bill and his steed echoes the sunset beyond and alludes to the haste and passion with which Bill races toward Shirley in anticipation of their ‘sunset encounter’. Another example of Robinson’s quirky humour – the type that Bill and Shirley would have shared and enjoyed over their lifetime together – the painting attests to the centrality of Shirley’s image in Robinson’s work – as important as any other subject, if not more so. The partnership they shared and the manner in which Bill included Shirley in his work reflects their devotion to one another and records one of the great love stories of Australian art. 1. Klepac, L., William Robinson, The Beagle Press, Sydney, 2001, p. 40 HENRY MULHOLLAND
Deutscher and Hackett
Sep. 14, 2022
WILLIAM ROBINSON, MIST IN THE AFTERNOON SUNLIGHT, 2002
Est: $180,000 - $250,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 MIST IN THE AFTERNOON SUNLIGHT, 2002 oil on linen 122.0 x 183.0 cm signed and dated lower right: William Robinson 2002 inscribed twice with title verso: MIST IN AFTERNOON SUNLIGHT PROVENANCE Australian Galleries, Sydney (label attached verso) The Laverty Collection, Sydney, acquired from the above in 2002 EXHIBITED William Robinson: Recent Paintings, Australian Galleries, Sydney, 13 August – 7 September; Melbourne, 24 September – 25 October 2002, cat. 4 (label attached verso, as ‘Mist in Afternoon Light’) RELATED WORK Rainforest Mist in Afternoon Light, 2002, oil on canvas, 167.0 x 244.0 cm, private collection, Brisbane, illus. in Hart, D. (et. al), William Robinson. The Transfigured Landscape, Queensland University of Technology and Piper Press, Brisbane, 2011, p. 127 ESSAY When William Robinson came to create Mist in Afternoon Sunlight, 2002, he was well established as a great Australian landscape painter. With four of Australia’s most prestigious art prizes to his name (two Archibald and two Wynne prizes) as well as thirty solo exhibitions, the artist had every right to feel comfortable with the mantle. When it came to painting the Australian landscape many artists of Robinson’s generation chose to look inwards towards the outback’s desperate beauty, while Robinson focussed almost entirely on the ancient rainforests and eucalypt forests of southeast Queensland. As the years have passed Robinson’s work has taken on a more spiritual tone. Gone are the whimsical farmyard scenes, where the chickens, geese and goats mischievously mirrored the politics and hierarchies of the local Brisbane art scene. However, those important formative works alerted Robinson to the possibilities of altered perspectives and alternate approaches to conventional horizons. Many of his mature works feature aspects of the weather as subject matter, sunlight, mist, cloud fronts. These ephemeral forces of nature override creatures in the landscape and celebrate creation as the work of a higher power. Similar to the larger, closely related Rainforest Mist in Afternoon Light, 2002, the landscape of this work might resemble the Tower of Babel as Robinson’s twisting escarpment climbs its way toward the heavens. Upwards and outwards the foliage and trees writhe and swirl. White cumulus clouds loom large or drift in the distance. The eastern side of the escarpment is lush and green, while the western side is rich in violets and warm earth tones. As the sun lowers in the west, it highlights the trunks of the trees, which split the light into rays. The late afternoon mist drifts up and around the ancient landforms, while shafts of sunlight beam through the trees and catch the mist – affording the work its lyrical title. By the time of his Sydney and Melbourne Australian Galleries exhibitions in 2002 (which included the present work), the artist’s trademark staccato brush work had given way to a more contemplative, patient method of applying the paint. The urgency to capture the moment and draw it to a towering crescendo had given way to a rhetorical meditation on the painting itself. Robinson’s paintings attempt to create the sensation of being in the landscape, as the artist explains: ‘I want to move away from observing the picture as some sort of representation. I want to sweep the observer down gullies and up into the sky. The observer is drawn into the landscape not physically but as a sort of connection to memory. The painting reminds us of experiences we might have had when walking in the bush… I am only presenting personal experience to be shared, but I would like to give some clues that may help the observer to experience the picture.'1 1. Seear, L., Darkness and Light, The Art of William Robinson, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, 2001, p. 118 HENRY MULHOLLAND
Deutscher and Hackett
Sep. 13, 2022
William Robinson (b. 1936)
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Flowers, c. 1978 pastel on paper, signed l.l.c. 'William Robinson'
Shapiro Auctioneers
Jun. 29, 2022
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936, Nimbin Rocks in Fog 1996
Est: $150,000 - $200,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Nimbin Rocks in Fog 1996 oil on canvas 137.5 x 183.0 cm signed and dated lower left: William Robinson 96 inscribed verso: Nimbin Rocks In Fog
Menzies
Jun. 29, 2022
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936, Chooks 1980
Est: $200,000 - $250,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Chooks 1980 oil on canvas 91.5 x 122.0 cm signed and dated lower right: William Robinson 80
Menzies
May. 16, 2022
William Robinson (1936- ) Australia) - Manly
Est: $9,000 - $12,000
William Robinson (1936- ) Australia) Manly Gouache, conte, pastel on paper Signed lower left
Colville Auctions
May. 04, 2022
WILLIAM ROBINSON, LATE AFTERNOON WITH FLOWERING PALMS, 2007
Est: $70,000 - $90,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 LATE AFTERNOON WITH FLOWERING PALMS, 2007 oil on linen 92.0 x 122.0 cm signed and dated lower right: William Robinson 2007 inscribed with title verso: LATE AFTERNOON WITH FLOWERING PALMS PROVENANCE Australian Galleries, Sydney (label attached verso) Private collection, New South Wales EXHIBITED William Robinson, Paintings and Lithographs 2000 – 2007, Australian Galleries, Sydney, 2 –24 October 2007 and Australian Galleries, Melbourne, 13 November – 9 December 2007, cat. 17 (illus. in exhibition catalogue, p. 49) ESSAY By the time William Robinson came to paint Late Afternoon with Flowering Palms, 2007 he was well established as a great Australian landscape painter. With four of Australia’s most prestigious art prizes to his name (two Archibald and two Wynne prizes) as well as thirty solo exhibitions, the artist had every right to feel comfortable with the mantle. Robinson broke the mould when it came to painting the Australian landscape. Where many artists of his generation chose to look inwards towards the outback’s desperate beauty, Robinson focussed almost entirely on the ancient rainforests and eucalypt forests of southeast Queensland. His progress as a painter can be charted through his many solo exhibitions, as each show trumpeted Robinson’s latest innovation or discovery. By the time of his 2007 exhibition which included Late Afternoon with Flowering Palms, the artist’s trademark staccato brushwork had been replaced by a more contemplative, patient method of applying the paint. The urgency to capture the moment and draw it to a towering crescendo had given way to a rhetorical meditation on the picture itself. The current example is from a group of works painted around the Byron Bay area. The Robinsons had moved there from their Springbrook property and the views of the ocean provided the artist with fresh material. Where Robinson’s Kingscliff coastal works created in the mid-1990s had focused on the local beach activities, this later series featured the sea as viewed or glimpsed in the distance through dense forests. In this manner, Robinson brings together two important phases of his work. Robinson’s paintings attempt to create the sensation of being in the landscape; as the artist explains the feeling he attempts to convey, '…I want to move away from observing the picture as some sort of representation. I want to sweep the observer down gullies and up into the sky. The observer is drawn into the landscape not physically but as a sort of connection to memory. The painting reminds us of experiences we might have had when walking in the bush... I am only presenting personal experience to be shared, but I would like to give some clues that may help the observer to experience the picture.'1 The sensation when viewing these fuller, later Robinson paintings such as Late Afternoon with Flowering Palms is one of contentment, with the artist’s enjoyment, confidence and wonder at what he has achieved as a painter easily felt within the finished work. 1. Seear, L., Darkness and Light, The Art of William Robinson, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, 2001, p. 118 HENRY MULHOLLAND
Deutscher and Hackett
Dec. 05, 2021
ROBINSON William Francis (Bill) (b.1936), Rooster Fowl, Aquatint Etching 8/12 (?), 12.5x17.5cm (plate) 40x34cm (sheet)
Est: $300 - $500
ROBINSON, William Francis (Bill) (b.1936) Rooster Fowl Aquatint Etching 8/12 (?) 12.5x17.5cm (plate) 40x34cm (sheet)
Davidson Auctions
May. 23, 2021
William Robinson (born 1936),
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
Sunset with Diver and Bathers, 1990 lithograph 29/85 editioned, titled, signed and dated lower margin 42cm x 61cm
Aalders Auctions
Apr. 20, 2021
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Autumn Sunset 1997 oil on canvas
Est: $300,000 - $350,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Autumn Sunset 1997 oil on canvas signed and dated 'William Robinson 97' lower left 137 x 183 cm PROVENANCE William Robinson, Queensland Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney Private Collection, Sydney, acquired from the above EXHIBITED William Robinson: Paintings, Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney, 27 March - 29 April 1998 William Robinson: The Revelation of Landscape, National Trust S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney, 11 January - 2 March 2003; Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Mornington, 1 April - 18 May 2003, illustrated Important Australian Paintings, Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane, 31 March - 24 April 2020, no. 33, illustrated LITERATURE Lou Klepac and William Robinson, William Robinson: Paintings 1987-2000, The Beagle Press, Sydney, 2001, pp. 124-125 (illustrated), 202 Jane Watters, William Robinson: The Revelation of Landscape, National Trust of Australia (NSW), Sydney, 2003, p. 31 (illustrated)
Smith & Singer
Mar. 31, 2021
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936, Tweed Valley, Rainforest Ridge and Beechmont, 1999
Est: $200,000 - $250,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Tweed Valley, Rainforest Ridge and Beechmont 1999 oil on canvas 137.0 x 183.0 cm signed and dated lower left: William Robinson '99 inscribed verso: TWEED VALLEY, RAINFOREST RIDGE AND BEECHMONT
Menzies
Sep. 14, 2020
William Robinson (1936- ) Australia - Springbrook
Est: $10,000 - $14,000
William Robinson (1936- ) Australia - Springbrook
Colville Auctions
Sep. 02, 2020
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Back Creek Gorge to the Coomera 1994 oil on canvas 137 x 182.5 cm
Est: $250,000 - $350,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Back Creek Gorge to the Coomera 1994 oil on canvas signed and dated 'William Robinson 94' lower right; inscribed 'BACK CREEK GORGE TO THE COMMERA' verso 137 x 182.5 cm PROVENANCE Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney Private Collection, acquired from the above Australian and International Paintings, Christie's Australia, Melbourne, 2 May 2002, lot 18, illustrated Donald Hay, Sydney, acquired from the above The Estate of the Late Donald Hay, Sydney EXHIBITED William Robinson, Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney, 3-28 September 1994, no. 12 LITERATURE Lou Klepac and William Robinson, William Robinson: Paintings 1987-2000, The Beagle Press, Sydney, 2001, pp. 102 (illustrated), 202
Smith & Singer
Jul. 15, 2020
WILLIAM ROBINSON, RAIN AND SUNLIGHT, NUMINBAH, 1996
Est: $150,000 - $200,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 RAIN AND SUNLIGHT, NUMINBAH, 1996 oil on canvas 137.0 x 182.5 cm signed and dated lower right: William Robinson 96 inscribed with title verso: RAIN AND SUNLIGHT NUMINBAH PROVENANCE Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney Private collection, Melbourne EXHIBITED William Robinson, Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney, 27 March – 29 April 1998, cat. 3 LITERATURE Klepac, L., William Robinson. Painting 1987 – 2000, The Beagle Press, Sydney, 2001, p. 120 (illus.) ESSAY In relation to a sense of place, William Robinson has made a unique contribution to the Australian landscape tradition, moving beyond conventional notions to encompass a fluctuating environment; of rainforest and ocean, ground and sky, day and night, elemental forces of wind, lightning, rain and fire. His multidimensional grasp of time and space also suggests metaphors for states of mind and being, life and death, continuity and transcendence. The profound spiritual resonances in Robinson’s art remind us of the need to preserve an ancient natural world in the present; ‘to keep the faith’, as Simon Schama wrote in Landscape and Memory, ‘with a future on this tough, lovely old planet’.1 Robinson’s treatment of the horizon and distorted perspective set him apart from his contemporaries. While many Australian landscape painters traditionally looked towards the arid interior for inspiration, he embraces the lush south eastern Queensland mountain ranges. The dramatic features of the granite belt, with its soaring cliffs, meandering rivers, creeks and waterfalls, offer the perfect subject for Robinson to flaunt his painterly innovations. The steep ravines, high annual rainfall and proximity to the coast combine to provide dramatic weather shifts, which Robinson exploits wilfully. As the title of Rain and Sunlight, Numinbah suggests, it is the ephemeral beauty of this landscape which captivates the artist. He gives equal weight to the physical grandeur of the ancient forms, as he does to the intangible elements of light, mist, mood and atmosphere. In the act of painting there is a tipping point where the image takes over and a seamless synergy occurs between the artist, their materials and subject. The artist becomes the vehicle for the work and almost takes a backseat as the painting evolves in inspired revelation. Artists sometimes refer to a work as ‘painting itself’ when describing this shaman-like relationship between the artist and subject. Robinson arrives at this point early and you can feel the urgency his works attain as they reach toward a higher state of observation and translation. Each new painting builds on the achievements of the previous one as he pushes the boundaries of his artistic abilities and the conventions of landscape painting. This state of oneness with his work is achieved by continuous immersion in the act of creation and Robinson typically works every day, all day – except Sundays. God rested on the sabbath and so does Robbo, reserving this day for reflection and music in humble observance of the Maker’s achievements. The artist is a deeply spiritual man and his paintings are to be viewed as a personal homage to the creator. The current example conveys this more than others, the central image of painting is the sunrise to the east, which may be considered as the first of its kind. Like the renaissance masters Robinson so much admires, he looks to the heavens for the essence of his inspiration. 1. Hart, D., ‘William Robinson’s artistic development: An intimate and expansive journey’ in William Robinson, A Transfigured Landscape, Queensland University of Technology and Piper Press, Brisbane, 2011, p. 38 HENRY MULHOLLAND
Deutscher and Hackett
May. 06, 2020
WILLIAM ROBINSON , CHOOKS, 1983
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 CHOOKS, 1983 pencil on paper SIGNED: signed lower left: William Robinson DIMENSIONS: 55.5 x 73.5 cm (sight) PROVENANCE: Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney Ray Hughes, Sydney The Estate of Ray Hughes, Sydney EXHIBITED: Animals on paper: from the Australian collection of prints, drawings and watercolours, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 5 September – 5 October 1992; Dubbo Regional Art Gallery, NSW, 18 December 1992 – 24 January 1993; Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery, NSW, 1 – 30 May 1993; Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW, 11 June – 1 August 1993, cat. 70 (label attached verso) This item is located at our Melbourne gallery
Deutscher and Hackett
May. 05, 2020
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) The Farm pencil on paper
Est: $7,000 - $10,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON (born 1936) The Farm pencil on paper signed lower centre: William Robinson 56 x 76cm PROVENANCE: With Anthea Polson Art, Queensland OTHER NOTES: Related Work: (Farmyard Scene) c.1982, oil on canvas, 98.2 x 106.2cm, The Collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Leonard Joel
Feb. 27, 2020
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936, Self Portrait with Horse
Est: $16,000 - $20,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936, Self Portrait with Horse hand glazed earthenware 46.5 cm diameter signed below lip: William Robinson stamped to base by ceramicist: ERROL BARNES
Menzies
Nov. 20, 2019
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Morning Sun with Flood Gums and Web 1991 oil in canvas 40.5 x 48.5 cm
Est: $30,000 - $40,000
WILLIAM ROBINSON born 1936 Morning Sun with Flood Gums and Web 1991 oil in canvas signed and dated 'William Robinson 91' lower right; inscribed 'MORNING SUN WITH FLOOD GUMS AND WEB' verso 40.5 x 48.5 cm PROVENANCE Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney Private Collection Sydney, acquired from the above Private Collection, Sydney, by descent from the above
Smith & Singer