Colin Colahan
Clovelly (Devon UK) 1946
19×23cm oil on board
$1,950
Colin Colahan
Colin Cuthbert Orr Colahan (1897-1987), painter and sculptor, was born on 12 February 1897 at Woodend, Victoria
In 1916 he enrolled in medicine at the University of Melbourne but he left next year to study painting and drawing at the National Gallery School. He soon moved on to Max Meldrum’s school, adopting his teacher’s practice of tonal realism. Colahan’s work was first shown publicly as part of an exhibition by `Meldrumites’ at the Athenaeum Gallery in 1919.
In 1921-27 the he travelled in England, France and Spain. Colahan studied the classical masters and developed his technique, showing his work in London and Paris. He returned to Melbourne, where his reputation grew and his work matured. His subjects included landscapes, streetscapes, portraits and nude studies, and his exhibitions generated favourable reviews and good sales.
In 1935 Colahan departed for England where he built a reputation as a portrait painter. His more notable subjects included George Bernard Shaw, Charmian Clift and Sir Malcolm Sargent.
The Australian War Memorial in Canberra appointed Colahan an official war artist in 1942 and directed him to cover the activities of his country’s armed services in Britain and Europe. This resulted in some of his best paintings, such as `Ballet of Wind and Rain’ and `Waterloo Station’; these two and eighty-eight more of his works are held by the AWM. He became the first president of the Australian Artists’ Association, London, in 1952.
Moving to Italy in 1958 Colahan built a house at Mortola Superiore, near Ventimiglia and continued to paint portraits and landscapes. In the 1960s he turned to sculpture producing over thirty works including the `Sirena’ fountain for the Italian town of Bordighera, and a head of Victor Smorgon bought by the National Gallery of Victoria. His work is represented in a number of state galleries in Australia. Colahan died on 6 June 1987 at Ventimiglia and was buried locally.
Colin Colahan
