The letter (McCubbin)

The letter
ArtistFrederick McCubbin
Year1884
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensions69.1 cm × 51.0 cm (27.2 in × 20.1 in)
LocationArt Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat
Websiteartgalleryofballarat.com.au

The letter is an 1884 painting by the Australian artist Frederick McCubbin. The painting depicts a young woman reading a letter walking in the bush alongside a stream.[1]

The model for the woman was the artist's sister Harriet McCubbin (known as "Polly"), an art student.[1] The setting is believed to have been worked up from en plein air sketches of the Yarra River near Darebin Creek.[1]

A privately held sister piece, featuring the woman reading the letter without the bush setting will be auctioned in November 2021.[2]

The painting was acquired by the Art Gallery of Ballarat in 1946 and remains part of its collection.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "The Letter, Frederick McCubbin". The Artists Footprints.
  2. ^ O'Brien, Kerrie (25 October 2021). "Frederick McCubbin painting unveiled for first time in 140 years". The Age. Nine Newspapers. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  3. ^ "The Letter". Art Gallery of Ballarat. Retrieved 31 October 2021.