In his 1951 portrait by Charles Blackman, Barbara Blackman – his muse and eventual wife – is instantly recognisable. It was captured the year before they married, before Barbara became blind. In place of his more naive style, Blackman draws her here with maturity. She is an elegant subject, turned away from the viewer, lovingly watched.

Barbara recurs throughout Blackman’s most revered work. She is the Alice that tumbles through Wonderland, his symbol for femininity, motherhood and a kind of disorientation that has been connected to modernity.

For connoisseurs of Blackman, ‘Portrait of Barbara’ is a highly collectable find. It has both beauty and art historical value, an early example of Blackman’s preoccupation with Barbara. It comes from the artist’s personal archives and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from The Charles Blackman Foundation.

Charles BLACKMAN (1928 - 2018)
'Portrait of Barbara' circa 1951
pencil on paper
Image Size: 56 x 76 cm
Signed: Signed l.r. Blackman; Australia Galleries, number AG202752 verso
Comes with Letter of Provenance

Condition: Fair

(c) Charles Blackman / Copyright Agency