Laundry Boats on the River Seine, Pont Marie - Paris
Oil on Board
74x100cm
Signed Lower Right
Prov: Private Collection New South Wales
$15,000-20,000
Among the most accomplished Australian Impressionist painters of the early twentieth century, Sir Will Ashton achieved particular distinction for his European landscapes and celebrated views of Paris. Born in England in 1881, Ashton migrated to Adelaide as a child, studying under his father, the artist James Ashton, before continuing his training at St Ives in Cornwall and the Académie Julian in Paris. His early success saw works accepted by the Royal Academy in London and the Paris Salon in 1904, establishing an international reputation that would underpin his distinguished artistic career.
Throughout his career, Ashton returned repeatedly to Europe, with Paris and the River Seine providing some of his most important and enduring subjects. His depictions of the city’s historic bridges, working barges and waterfront activity became among his most recognised and sought-after paintings. Their significance was acknowledged early, with the Art Gallery of South Australia acquiring Boulevard Montparnasse, Paris in 1905 and the National Gallery of Victoria acquiring Barge on the Seine in 1907. Particularly relevant to the present collection is the National Gallery of Victoria’s Laundry Boats on the Seine, circa 1920, acquired through the Felton Bequest in 1925. These institutional acquisitions demonstrate the considerable recognition afforded to Ashton’s Parisian paintings during his lifetime and their enduring importance within Australian art.
Ashton’s distinguished career was recognised with three Wynne Prizes, awarded in 1908, 1930 and 1939. Appointed Director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 1937, he subsequently served as Chairman of the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board from 1953 to 1962. His contribution to Australian art was recognised with an OBE in 1941 and a knighthood in 1960. An influential painter and arts administrator, Ashton’s European paintings, particularly those depicting Paris and the River Seine, remain central to his artistic legacy and among the most admired works of his career.
