A holiday at Mentone

Painted by twenty-year-old Charles Conder, this masterpiece of Australian Impressionism celebrates Australian sunlight and seaside leisure. The composition is one of the artist’s most innovative, and while it exudes a mood of relaxation, the scene is alive with nuanced social interaction.

The influence of ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock prints is evident in the use of the horizontal line of the jetty, which dramatically divides the composition, while the upturned Japanese parasol and calligraphic seaweed in the foreground are poetic touches of japonisme. In addition to being a timely infusion of diverse influences, this painting was the first in Australian art to capture the specificities of the bleaching and blinding qualities of the local light.

Although Conder was only in Australia for four years, his contribution was significant. He became a critical member of the pioneering circle of Australian Impressionists, which included Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton and Frederick McCubbin. He left Australia in 1890 and became associated with the French and British avant-garde. His legacy of glistening Australian landscapes would define a nation.

Tracey Lock, Curator of Australian Paintings and Sculpture