Leo Martínez
Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly series is one of the greatest sequences of Australian paintings of the 20th century. Nolan painted the series while living with John and Sunday Reed at their homestead, Heide, in Heidelberg, Victoria. The series, created in 1946-47, consists of 26 or 27 paintings of the 19th-century bushranger and outlaw Ned Kelly and his gang. Nolan's simplified depiction of Kelly in his homemade armour has become an iconic Australian image. The series weaves biography and autobiography together, with Nolan himself stating that every painting of Kelly was, in fact, a self-portrait.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Paintings in the Series | 26 or 27 |
| Year(s) Painted | 1946-1947 or 1946-1948 |
| Location Painted | Heide, Victoria |
| Inspiration | Kelly's own words, Rousseau, sunlight, and the Malley hoax poems |
| Themes | Injustice, love, betrayal, nationalism, autobiography, violence, and the Australian landscape |
| Notable Works | Death of Constable Scanlon, Death of Sergeant Kennedy at Stringybark Creek, Glenrowan |
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What You'll Learn
- Nolan's Ned Kelly series is one of the greatest sequences of Australian paintings of the 20th century
- The series was painted while Nolan was living with John and Sunday Reed
- Nolan's simplified depiction of Kelly in his armour has become an iconic Australian image
- The series weaves biography and autobiography together
- Nolan's invention of a starkly simplified image for Ned Kelly has become part of Australia's shared iconography
Nolan's Ned Kelly series is one of the greatest sequences of Australian paintings of the 20th century
Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly series is one of the greatest sequences of Australian paintings of the 20th century. The series, created in 1946-47, consists of 26 to 27 paintings that depict the story of the 19th-century bushranger and outlaw, Ned Kelly, and his gang. Nolan's simplified and iconic depiction of Kelly in his homemade armour, often as a slotted black square atop a horse, has become synonymous with Australia and its shared iconography.
The series was first painted while Nolan was living with Sunday Reed and her husband, John, at their homestead, Heide, in Heidelberg, Victoria. Nolan reportedly had input from Sunday Reed, with whom he was having an affair at the time, and she later claimed to have co-painted some of the works. The paintings were left at Heide after Nolan's emotional exit from the farm following the end of their affair.
Nolan's Ned Kelly series is a vehicle for exploring universal themes of injustice, love, and betrayal, as well as a way to retell the story of a hero and bring Australian nationalism to the forefront. The artist often painted legends from Australian history, but it is this series that he is most remembered for. The works are a blend of biography and autobiography, with the narrative strongly present, taking the viewer through the main events of Kelly's story, including the shooting of police constables, the ensuing chase, and the siege of a hotel.
The series also showcases Nolan's engagement with Australian history, landscape, and European modern art. In 1961, Nolan told writer Colin MacInnes that the main ingredients of the 'Kelly' series were "Kelly's own words, and Rousseau, and sunlight". The catalogue for the first exhibition of the series in 1948 included quotations from a variety of historical sources, including the 'Jerilderie Letter', a quasi-political and quasi-personal recital of grievance that fascinated Nolan.
Nolan's Ned Kelly series has been exhibited internationally and acquired by major galleries, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate Modern in London. The series has been praised by critics and curators, with the director of the Musée National d'Art Moderne in Paris, Jean Cassou, calling the works "a striking contribution to modern art".
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The series was painted while Nolan was living with John and Sunday Reed
Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly series is considered one of the greatest sequences of Australian paintings of the 20th century. The series, consisting of 26 or 27 paintings, was created in 1946-47 and first exhibited at the Velasquez Gallery in Melbourne in 1948. The series depicts the story of the 19th-century bushranger and outlaw Ned Kelly and his gang, including the shooting of police constables, a police chase, and a siege.
Nolan painted the series while living with John and Sunday Reed at their homestead, Heide, in Heidelberg, Victoria. Heide was an old dairy farm purchased by the Reeds in 1934, and it became a hub for artists and supporters of Australian art and culture. Nolan was a close friend of the Reeds and spent much of his time at Heide, which ultimately contributed to the breakdown of his first marriage. He had a relationship with Sunday Reed and later married John Reed's sister, Cynthia, in 1948, after which he left Heide.
Nolan's time at Heide was a significant influence on his life and work. The Reeds were art aficionados and leading figures in the "Heide Circle," which included some of the best-known modernist painters of the time. Nolan's involvement with the Heide Circle and his relationship with the Reeds provided a creative and inspiring environment that likely influenced the creation of the Ned Kelly series.
The Ned Kelly series holds a special place in Australian art and has become an iconic part of the country's shared iconography. Nolan's simplified depiction of Kelly in his homemade armour, often shown riding a horse, has become a widely recognised image. The series also showcases Nolan's engagement with Australian history, landscape, and European modern art, with Kelly's own words, Rousseau, and sunlight cited as key influences.
The paintings in the series are more than just depictions of Kelly's story; they also reflect Nolan's own life and experiences. The post-war milieu in which the paintings were created adds a sense of personal urgency to the works, and the artist himself noted that the series weaves together biography and autobiography. The specific autobiographical details remain a mystery, adding to the intrigue of these renowned paintings.
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Nolan's simplified depiction of Kelly in his armour has become an iconic Australian image
Between 1945 and 1947, Sidney Nolan created a series of paintings depicting Ned Kelly, Australia's infamous bushranger and outlaw. This period saw the creation of what would become one of Nolan's most iconic and enduring images: the simplified depiction of Kelly in his armour.
The image is instantly recognizable to many Australians and has become a symbol of the country's history and culture. Nolan's unique style, with its flat, simplified forms and bold use of colour, has made this depiction of Kelly instantly identifiable. The artist's decision to focus on Kelly's armour as a central element in many of the paintings has added to the iconic status of this image. The armour, with its strange, almost surreal appearance, has become a visual shorthand for Kelly himself and the legend that surrounds him.
Nolan's simplified style, often featuring Kelly as a solitary figure in a vast landscape, has been described as capturing the essence of the Australian Outback and its unique, rugged beauty. The artist's use of vibrant colours, often against a flat, featureless background, adds to the sense of isolation and vastness. This stylistic choice also draws attention to Kelly's armour, making it a striking and memorable element in each composition.
The armour itself is an intriguing and unique aspect of Kelly's story. It is a distinctive part of Australian history and has become an enduring symbol of the outlaw. Nolan's depiction of the armour, with its plate-like structure and unusual shape, has only added to its iconic status. The artist's simplified style emphasizes the armour's unusual form, making it appear almost otherworldly, and this unique interpretation has become firmly embedded in Australia's cultural consciousness.
Over time, Nolan's simplified depiction of Kelly in his armour has taken on a life of its own, becoming a widely recognized symbol of Australian identity and a significant part of the country's artistic and cultural heritage. This image has been reproduced and referenced countless times in various media, solidifying its place as an enduring Australian icon.
Nolan's unique artistic vision and style have played a pivotal role in shaping how Australians and the world perceive Ned Kelly. Through his simplified yet powerful imagery, Nolan has not only captured a chapter of Australian history but has also created an enduring cultural icon.
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The series weaves biography and autobiography together
Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly series is considered one of the greatest sequences of Australian paintings of the 20th century. The series, created in 1946-47, consists of 26 to 27 paintings that narrate the story of the nineteenth-century bushranger Ned Kelly and his gang of outlaws. The series is notable for its iconic depiction of Kelly in his homemade armour, which has become synonymous with Australia's shared iconography.
Nolan's personal life and experiences are woven into the fabric of the series. He created the paintings while living with Sunday Reed and her husband, John Reed, at their homestead, Heide, in Heidelberg, Victoria. Nolan's relationship with Sunday Reed, with whom he had an open affair, and his subsequent marriage to John Reed's sister, Cynthia, in 1948, added a layer of complexity to the creation of the series. The Reeds were art aficionados and leading figures in the "Heide Circle," a group known for the intertwined personal and professional lives of its members.
The Ned Kelly series is a blend of biography and autobiography, reflecting Nolan's own circumstances and his interpretation of Kelly's story. The narrative begins with a scene-setting painting of an empty landscape lit by an eerie light, setting the tone for the main events that follow. Nolan's paintings capture the shooting of police constables at Stringybark Creek, the ensuing police chase, the activities of the police spy Aaron Sherritt, and the siege of the hotel at Glenrowan, among other key moments.
Nolan's unique style and engagement with Australian history, landscape, and European modern art influenced the series' creation. He described the main ingredients as "Kelly's own words, and Rousseau, and sunlight," demonstrating his interest in combining historical context and artistic expression. Nolan's depiction of Kelly as a "slotted black square atop a horse" has become a lasting image in Australian culture, showcasing his ability to create original and simplified icons.
The Ned Kelly series gained recognition beyond Australia, with works exhibited internationally and acquired by major galleries, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate Modern in London. The series cemented Nolan's place as one of Australia's leading artists of the 20th century and left a lasting legacy in the art world.
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Nolan's invention of a starkly simplified image for Ned Kelly has become part of Australia's shared iconography
Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly series, created in 1946–47, is one of the greatest sequences of Australian paintings of the 20th century. Nolan's simplified depiction of Kelly in his homemade armour has become an iconic Australian image and a part of the country's shared iconography.
Nolan's series consists of 26 to 27 paintings of the nineteenth-century bushranger Ned Kelly and his gang of outlaws. The series was first painted while Nolan was living with Sunday Reed and her husband, John Reed, at their homestead, Heide, in Heidelberg, Victoria. Nolan reportedly had an open affair with Sunday Reed and subsequently married John Reed's sister, Cynthia, in 1948, after Sunday refused to leave her husband. In 1977, Sunday Reed donated 25 of the 27 paintings in Nolan's first exhibited Kelly series to the National Gallery.
Nolan's depiction of Kelly is characterised by a starkly simplified image—a slotted black square atop a horse. This image has become synonymous with Ned Kelly and is recognised as an original and powerful symbol of Australia. The series also includes paintings of other key figures in the Kelly gang, such as Steve Hart, who is depicted wearing a floral-patterned dress over his shirt and tie, riding side-saddle.
Nolan's work showcases a dual emphasis on connectedness and distinctiveness in relation to culture and place, with the Australian landscape playing a key role in the series. The narrative is strongly present, beginning with a scene-setting painting that shows an empty landscape lit by an eerie light from the horizon. The paintings take viewers through the main events of the story of Ned Kelly and his gang, including the shooting of police constables, the ensuing police chase, the activities of the police spy Aaron Sherritt, and the siege of the hotel at Glenrowan.
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Frequently asked questions
Nolan painted the first of his Ned Kelly series in 1946, while living with Sunday and John Reed at their homestead, Heide, in Heidelberg, Victoria. The series consists of 26 or 27 paintings, with the last one completed in 1947.
Nolan was inspired by the story of Ned Kelly, a 19th-century bushranger and outlaw, and his gang. The series is a visual narrative that distils the outlaw's story, with the Australian landscape playing a key role.
The Ned Kelly series is considered one of the greatest sequences of Australian paintings of the 20th century. Nolan's simplified depiction of Kelly in his homemade armour has become an iconic Australian image.
The series was exhibited at the National Gallery of Australia in 1977, after being donated by Sunday Reed. It has also been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Musée National d'Art Moderne in Paris.
Yes, Nolan painted a wide range of personal interpretations of historical and legendary figures, including explorers Burke and Wills, and Eliza Fraser. He also painted a series of Dimboola landscapes while stationed there during World War II.
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