Brett Whiteley is an icon of Australian art. His work, varied yet always distinctly his, was informed by his travels, the Vietnam War, Sydney, bohemia and Vincent Van Gogh and Francis Bacon.

In exploring these worlds, Whiteley fused the abstract and figurative, creating emotionally heightened worlds of ballooning forms and elongated lines. His imagery is always immediate, reflective of his pursuit for “beauty which can best be described as being on time for the appointment.”

Pivotal to the artist's visual lexicon is the female nude, a subject that he continued to visit throughout his career. Wrought in curves and sensually depicted, 'Back I' showcases Whiteley's ability to create depth and motion in simple, fluid mark-making.

Whiteley’s work is represented across Australian public collections and internationally at the Tate Gallery in London and MoMA in New York. An adjunct of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, his studio has become a permanent public gallery. For collector’s of important Australian art, Whiteley is a prize.

Brett WHITELEY (1939 - 1992)
'Back I' 1981
lithograph on paper
Image Size: 95 x 60 cm
Dimensions: 121 x 86 x 2 cm
Signed: Signed lower right: brett whiteley. Editioned lower left: AP III / V

Comes with Letter of Provenance

Reference: Deutscher Fine Art, Brett Whiteley The Graphics 1961-1992, Deutscher Art Pty Ltd, Melbourne, 1995, pl. no. 63 (illus). Kathie Sutherland, Brett Whiteley: Catalogue Raisonne, Schwartz Publishing, Melbourne, 2020, cat. 113P; vol. 5, p. 130 (illus. another example)

Condition: Very Good: Describes a work of art's image as Excellent, but may show some small signs of surrounding wear to paper or frame. There are no tears to paper margin or disruption to the paint surface.

(c) Wendy Whiteley / Copyright Agency