When we talk about relief printmaking in Australia, we’re tracing a vibrant thread through the fabric of the nation’s art history. From the mid-19th century to today, this art form has seen steady engagement, with bursts of remarkable activity and widespread popularity.
In the latter part of the 1800s, wood engraving enjoyed a golden age. Before photography revolutionised pictorial reproduction, wood engravings were the go-to for book and newspaper illustrations. Back then, these prints weren’t celebrated as fine art. They were everyday objects, often featured in newspapers and rarely framed as artworks. Today, these engravings survive mostly in libraries, offering us a glimpse into the life and times of late 19th century Australia.
One of the pivotal figures in early Australian relief printmaking was Violet Teague. She was introduced to woodcut techniques overseas and upon returning home, she made history. At the Victoria Artists’ Society’s 1905 winter exhibition, Teague showcased ‘Nightfall in the Ti-tree’, an illustrated book she created with Geraldine Rede. This work featured the earliest known colour woodcuts in Australia.
In the early 1900s, Australian art schools didn’t offer much formal training in relief print techniques. Instead, artists who travelled abroad and studied brought back their knowledge to share. From the 1920s onwards, the magazine ‘Art in Australia’ began featuring articles on relief printmaking, highlighting local talents like Archibald Webb and Ethleen Palmer.
During the 1920s, the conservative art scene was dominated by a black-and-white tradition, heavily influenced by English styles. This was the backdrop against which Margaret Preston made her mark. Rebelling against the norm, Preston introduced boldly designed and roughly carved woodcuts depicting distinctly Australian subjects. Her approach was innovative, using simple, reduced forms in planar arrangements to create abstract representations rather than literal depictions.
Modernism arrived in Australia in tandem with its global emergence, profoundly influencing the culture. The Sydney Harbour Bridge stands as a crowning symbol of this era. Women particularly embraced modernism, incorporating its sleek designs into everyday domestic items like soft furnishings, glassware, crockery, furniture, lighting, and clothing. Modern art began to adorn walls, with women not just as admirers but also as creators.
During the 1920s and ‘30s, women dominated the modern art movement. Social changes, including the loss of many men during WWI and the decreased profitability of artmaking between the wars, resulted in fewer male artists. Simultaneously, increasing social freedoms allowed more women to pursue artistic careers. Those with independent means travelled and studied abroad, bringing fresh perspectives back to Australia. The modern movement itself challenged traditional artistic mediums and embraced new subjects like urban environments, industry, and machinery. Relief printmaking flourished, with linocuts becoming particularly popular among women artists due to the affordability and simplicity of the technique.
Despite being once described as a ‘friendly little craft,’ woodcut and its sibling techniques, wood engraving and linocut, have had a robust presence in Australian art for over 150 years. As sophisticated commercial printing technologies emerged in the late 1800s, a purely artistic tradition of relief printing began to flourish. The interwar years marked a high point for the medium, with both prolific production and widespread popularity.
Although the subsequent decades saw a dip in activity, the stature of relief printmaking has grown once more. Today, it stands proudly alongside other contemporary art forms, testament to its enduring appeal and adaptability.
From humble beginnings as ephemeral newspaper illustrations to being celebrated as significant art pieces, relief prints in Australia tell a story of innovation, resilience, and artistic exploration. Whether it’s the historic wood engravings preserved in our libraries or the bold, modern prints adorning gallery walls, this art form continues to capture the imagination and creativity of Australian artists and audiences alike.
By Hannah Ryan, Prints & Multiples Specialist
Top Image: Violet Teague, Geraldine Rede, Not Titled [Flirt tails and away! Three leaping rabbits] [part image] 1905 In Night fall in the ti-tree, by Violet Teague. Melbourne: Sign of the Rabbit, 1905, woodcut, printed in colour in the Japanese manner, from multiple blocks; letterpress text / National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Gift of K.G. Teague 1976
July 2024