George Baldessin is still regarded as one of Australia’s preeminent artists. During his short but influential lifetime, he was considered on par with Brett Whiteley, with both artists eschewing the dominant mode of abstraction in favour of lyrical, figurative imagery.

Baldessin’s The Parlour Any Evening presents a striking, almost theatrical interplay of figures, rendered in his signature etching and aquatint technique. The work reflects his fascination with the human body as both symbol and abstraction—figures are layered, contorted, and partially veiled, creating a sense of spatial tension and ambiguity. Stark chiaroscuro contrasts between dark tonal fields and exposed plate lend a sculptural quality to the composition, while the gestural dynamism of limbs and bodies heightens its expressive impact.

Created during the early 1970s, a peak period in Baldessin’s printmaking career, The Parlour Any Evening explores themes of eroticism, identity, and the fragility of human presence. With a limited edition of just ten impressions, it remains a rare and highly collectable example of Baldessin’s oeuvre.

George BALDESSIN (1939 - 1978)
'Striped Costume or The parlour any evening' 1965
etching and aquatint on paper
Edition of 10
Image Size: 30 x 22 cm
Dimensions: 74 x 58 x 4 cm
Signed: Signed and editioned '2/10 G Baldessin' under image margin
Comes with Letter of Provenance
Condition: Very Good

(c) George Baldessin / Copyright Agency