Leda Et Swan
Vitreous Enamel
67cm Diameter
Signed Lower Left, Titled Lower Right
Prov: Private Collection Victoria
$2,500-3,500
Bernard Hesling occupies a distinctive position in twentieth-century Australian art, recognised for his pioneering contribution to vitreous enamel painting. Born in Wales in 1905 and raised in Yorkshire, Hesling studied art in England before travelling to Paris, where he encountered the work of European modernists including Fernand Léger and Maurice de Vlaminck. Migrating to Australia in 1928, he established a varied career as a painter, cartoonist, illustrator and muralist. During the 1950s, he undertook numerous commercial and public mural commissions, developing an interest in alternative materials and techniques that would ultimately define his artistic legacy.
In 1957, Hesling began experimenting with vitreous enamel on steel, recognising its potential as an expressive alternative to conventional painting. The process involved applying finely ground glass to metal surfaces before firing at high temperatures, producing remarkably durable works distinguished by their brilliant colour and glass-like finish. His relocation to Adelaide in 1962 proved particularly significant, establishing a relationship with the South Australian appliance manufacturer Simpson, whose industrial furnaces were used to enamel refrigerators and stoves. Through an unusual arrangement, Hesling was permitted to fire his painted steel panels alongside the factory’s domestic appliances, reportedly compensating the company with his own artworks. This innovative collaboration enabled him to produce enamel paintings in a variety of shapes and dimensions, transforming an industrial process into a distinctive form of artistic expression.
Hesling’s work is characterised by vivid colour, simplified forms, imaginative compositions and a playful sense of humour. Exhibiting widely throughout Australia and internationally, he became an important advocate for vitreous enamel as an independent artistic medium, challenging traditional distinctions between painting, decorative art and industrial design. His longstanding association with Adelaide’s Greenhill Galleries further established his presence within South Australia’s artistic community. Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1985 for his contribution to the arts, Hesling remains an important figure in the development of vitreous enamel painting in Australia.
