B. 1890 – 1923

Penleigh Boyd was a member of the distinguished artistic dynasty, the Boyds. He was the son of Arthur Merric and Emma Minne Boyd and brother to Meric Boyd whose children Arthur, Guy and David were significant modernists. 

Achieving notoriety early in his career, Boyd studied at the National Gallery of Victoria School from 1907 to 1909 and was already exhibiting at the Victorian Artists Association by 1909. After graduating, he traveled Europe where he became acquainted with modernism. 

At age 21 Boyd was hung at the Royal Academy in London and in 1913 he won the Art Gallery of New South Wales Wynne Prize, pursuing a style that like his peer – Elioth Gruner – was traditional yet still tinged with modernism. What was to be a successful life however, was tragically cut short when Boyd was killed in a car crash at age 33. 

To read a more in-depth biography of the artist, click here.