JOHN OLSEN (1928 - )

​

John Olsen OBE is arguably Australia’s most internationally reknown and decorated abstract painter. Olsen's exuberant paintings, which were first exhibited in Sydney in the 1950s, are often celebrations of Sydney, Majorca, marine life, good food and sunshine. His work remains grounded in the landscape or in evocations of poetry, a painter whose distinctive curvilinear style continually pays homage to the quality of a wanderingline. His work is represented in every Australian national gallery and he has been the subject of a number of monographs. He was awarded an O.B.E. for services to the Arts in 1977 and an Order of Australia (A.O.) in 2001.

"Frog Leaping" (1986)

limited edition colour lithograph, ed. 64/75

76 x 56cm

signed & dated '86 lower right

 

$4500

"Aboriginal Child Writing" (c.1983)

gouache & pastel

22 x 22cm

signed on verso

 

*exhibited at Art Gallery Of Western Australia

"The Land Before Time: Paintings & Drawings of John Olsen" (1984)

​

*The Christensen Fund Collection

*Savill Galleries, Sydney

​

Reference: Olsen, J. et al; The Land Before Time, Macmillan,

Melbourne, 1984, p.249 (accompanied by book)

​

POA

​

"New York To Nowhere" (1999)

limited edition etching

22 x 14cm

signed & dated '99 lower right

 

$2850