B. 1939 - 1978

George Baldessin was an Australian printmaker, sculptor, and teacher, celebrated for his figurative, often surreal imagery and technical innovation in printmaking. Born on 19 May 1939 in San Biagio, Italy, he migrated with his family to Australia in 1949, settling in Melbourne. From 1958 to 1961 he studied at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) under Leonard French and Norma Redpath, before travelling to Europe in the early 1960s to continue his studies at the Chelsea School of Art in London, and the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

Returning to Melbourne in 1963, Baldessin quickly gained recognition for his accomplished etchings, drypoints, and aquatints, often featuring elongated, abstracted human figures. His imagery combined European sensibility with an Australian urban edge, and his themes were frequently darkly comic, surreal, or erotic. In Australia, Baldessin introduced a surreal elegance to the national art canon, breaking away from its predominantly British influences. A charismatic and enthusiastic figure of the 1970s Melbourne art scene, he encouraged many of his peers to pursue creativity. 

Baldessin was also a dedicated teacher, lecturing in printmaking at RMIT from 1964 until his death. A co-founder of the Print Council of Australia, he played a pivotal role in raising the profile of printmaking nationally and mentoring a generation of younger artists. In 1966, he won the Mildura Sculpture Prize, and in 1975 he represented Australia at the São Paulo Biennale. His best-known graphic works include the celebrated print series’ Pear I and Pear II, Bathers  and Performers, as well as the much-loved public sculpture Three Businessmen Who Brought Their Own Lunch (1977) in Melbourne’s central business district.

Tragically, Baldessin’s life was cut short when he died in a car accident near Whittlesea, Victoria, in 1978, at the age of 39. His legacy endures through his inclusion in major Australian public collections, posthumous retrospectives, and the Baldessin Press & Studio in St Andrews, Victoria, which continues to support and inspire contemporary printmakers.