Australian Oil Painting - Norman Lindsay

Lot 1011    Session 4 (4.30pm Tuesday)    Australian Oil Painting - Norman Lindsay

Estimate $20,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $20,000

LINDSAY, Norman, oil on canvas, 55cm x 49cm, "Olive", signed lower right.

From the family of Dr. Raoul Cardamatis. THe model "Olive" was used by Norman Lindsay for several years in the late 1930's. The painting was highly probable to have been painted in this period. In a note from the widow of Dr. Raoul Cardamatis she records that her husband received this painting as a gift about 1955. Norman Lindsay was a friend and patient of the late Dr. Raoul Cardamatis who he often paid in kind for his medical treatment. Initially Norman Lindsay gave him this painting as an unsigned painting but in about 1969 Mrs Cardamatis wrote to Norman Lindsay asking him to sign it. An invitation was extended for her to visit him in his house and he signed the painting. He at that time was intending to donate his house to the National Trust and he was involved in a film on the book "The Magic Pudding". Dr Cardamatis was the son of a Greek university professor and his German wife. He served in the Army and during this service as a surgeon his legs were badly damaged when he was blown up. He had come into contact with Australians during the war and liked them so he decided to migrate to Australia because of the post war upheavel in Europe. Upon arrival he re-did his medical training to qualify as a doctor according to the standards of the Australian Medical Board, completing the three year course in two years. Initially he set up a practice at Marrickville but later became a Macquarie Street specialist in the field of psychology. He was appointed a doctor for the New South Wales Police Force and was a doctor for the United Nations in Geneva. A man of many talents, he also produced plays for the Independent Theatre together with Warwick Fairfax. In 1944 a portrait of Dr Cardamatis by W.H.Neal was one of the finalists in the Archibald Prize competition. When Dr Cardamatis died in 1959 he had an impressive collection of awards. His collection of medals and other awards were sold in our sale No.89 (lot 4437).