Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), Wednesday 29 April 1942, page 4


Julian Ashron Was Artists' Guide & Friend

\^R. JULIAN ASHTON, guide, philosopher, and friend to Australian artists, died yesterday in Sydney at the aee of 91 . vears.

until his retirement from active work he was the most popular art teacher in the Commonwealth, some of his more eminent pupils being G. W. Lambert. Elloth Gruner, J. J. Hilder, and Syd. Long. The late Mr. Ashton was born In a village m Surrey on January 27,-1851, but was brought up in a village in Cornwall. When he was 13 years his father died, and the family went to London. So that he could study art he worked for some years with the Great Western Railway Company. In 1878. when the late Mr David Syme was in London, he encaged Mr. Ashton as artist for a weekly newspaper n Melbourne. Among pictures that he did for that paper were a series showing the last stand of the Kelly gang at Glenrowan. He did not like Melbourne, so In 1881 he accepted an invitation to become a travelling artist for the 'Picturesque Atlas of Australia.' Tvi 1887 he had a studio in Pitt Street, and it was there that he painted that famous shofik-haired portrait of Sir Henry Parkes which lias been hanging in Sydney Gallerv for 55 years. The late Mr. Ashton whs honoured with the award of tyie C.B.E. about 10 years ago. after his retirement because of failing evefight. He was both a lending portrait painter and landscape painter, but his greatest asset to Australian artists was a delightful pprsonality which attracted to his studio young artists who subsequently became famous. He is represented in the Queensland National Gallery bv one of its treasures. 'The Jewelled Margin of the Sea.' WAR FUNDS.— The Prisoners of War 'Adoption' scheme of the Queensland branch of the Red Cross Society has received contributions for the week amounting to £632/19/1, bringinc the- total fund on April 28 to £17.899/13/10 Most of the contributions were from Red Cross or other patriotic institutions.