B. 1883 – 1960

Despite receding from view, Janet Cumbrae Stewart was once considered among Australia’s most significant artists. She was born the youngest of ten children in Brighton, demonstrating an early interest in drawing. Alongside artists including Jessie Traill and Norah Gudron, Cubmrae Stewart attended the National Gallery School between 1901 and 1907 where she was quickly acclaimed.  

Cumbrae Stewart was an unconventional woman. For one, she was born just “Stewart”, adopting “Cumbrae” after her oldest brother and later choosing to sign her work just “Cumbrae Stewart”, thus ensuring they were judged on merit not gender. In an early exhibition of her work, she sold paintings to Rupert Bunny and Bernard Hall, and in 1921 had a monograph published on her pastels – a feat for a female artist of the time. 

When Cumbrae Stewart moved to Europe in 1922, she was considered one of the world’s best pastelists. While in Europe she exhibited broadly including at the Royal Academy in London and the Venice Biennale, and was collected by Queen Mary. She returned to Australia in 1939 with her partner Miss Argemone Ffarington Bellairs, spending her remaining years in Melbourne. 

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