Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Tuesday 27 January 1931, page 10


MR. JULIAN ASHTON.

Eightieth Birthday.

Few individuals have exerted so forceful an influence on the art life of this city as Mr. Julian Ashton, who to-day celebrates his eightieth birthday. He has exerted this in-fluence through the Sydney Art School, of which he has been principal for more than 40 years. Among the artists to have since reached fame who, in their time, passed through his hands and had their early ideas moulded by him are the late George Lambert, the late J. J. Hilder, Sydney Long, Elioth Grüner, Sydney Ure Smith, B. E. Minns, and Thea Proctor. Although of late years Mr. Ashton has been in falling health, he still retains his keen interest in the Sydney Art School, and gives it his personal supervision.

He had attained some distinction in art in England before 1878, when he first came to Australia. Pictures by him had been ex-hibited at the Royal Academy. He first sought an opening in Melbourne; but the artistic out-look was, at the time, so unpromising In that city that he soon transferred his activities to Sydney, where he began to teach in 1888, at the suggestion of Professor Stephens, of Sydney University. When he first opened his classes the Sydney Art School was known as the "Academy Julien." Miss Ethel Stephens became his first pupil.

Mr. Ashton has examples of his work (which embraces many types of subject matter) in the national galleries of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia. In June of last year recognition of his services came In the conferring of the order, C.B.E.