Arthur Boyd

St Francis in the Wood

1979

Arthur Boyd 1920 - 1999 Born in Murrumbeena, Victoria, Boyd came from a family of artists, including his grandfather Arthur Merric Boyd, a noted landscape painter. Boyd began painting at an early age and received formal art training at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School. Boyd's early work was heavily influenced by the Australian landscape, particularly the bush and the outback, and he became associated with the Heidelberg School of Australian impressionists. He later moved away from this style and began to experiment with more expressive forms of painting. Throughout his career, Boyd painted a wide range of subjects, including landscapes, portraits, and still lifes. He is perhaps best known for his series of paintings based on the biblical story of the Flood, which he began in the 1960s. These paintings are notable for their stark, almost apocalyptic imagery, and their use of bright, intense colors. Boyd was also deeply committed to social and political causes, and his work often dealt with issues of poverty, injustice, and human suffering. In the 1970s, he painted a series of portraits of convicted criminals on death row, which were exhibited at the National Gallery of Victoria. He also worked on a series of paintings inspired by the plight of refugees, particularly those from Cambodia. Boyd received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Order of the British Empire and the Order of Australia. He was also a member of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Today, his paintings are held in many public and private collections throughout Australia and around the world.