Michael Leunig was an iconic Australian cartoonist, writer, painter, philosopher and poet, best known for his cartoons published in the Sydney Morning Herald and Age newspapers over 55 years. In this rare collection of hand-crafted cartoons, Leunig’s artistic beginnings are unveiled. Unendingly honest and bitingly comedic, these early-career works are a testament to Leunig’s longstanding ability to confront audiences’ sensibilities while still making them laugh.

In ‘Untitled (Senator Gair)’, Leunig represents the adversarial relationship between Senator Vince Gair and Prime Minister John Gorton as one-sided boxing match. Richly contextualised by the 1969 Australian political landscape, there is a timeless humour that exists with this cartoon. Assembled from individually drawn panels, and signed off from the witty voice of the artist himself, this work is classically Leunig and vividly reflective of his artistic process.

This cartoon was created for the short-lived political magazine ‘Broadside’ and featured in the October 16, 1969 edition. This Melbourne-based fortnightly bulletin was headed by politician, activist and journalist Pete Steedman and owned by The Age newspaper. Often shocking and divisive, and always politically charged, this publication only ran for around seven months.

These works are rare to market and instantly reflective of the 1969 political landscape. For lovers of Leunig, those fascinated by the history of Australian politics, or collectors of political cartoons, ‘Untitled (Senator Gair)’ is a jewel to discover.

Michael LEUNIG (1945 - 2024)
'Untitled (Senator Gair)' 1969
mixed media on paper
Image Size: 50 x 75 cm
Dimensions: 73 x 98 x 2 cm
Signed: Signed 'Leunig' in bottom right corner of image

Published in Broadside October 16, 1969 page 20-21

Comes with Letter of Provenance

Condition: Good. As expected with age, the work would benefit from conservation. We can engage a highly regarded conservator to sensitively restore it to good condition.

(c) The Artist or Assignee