Dobell biography

Australian artist

Sir William DobellOBE (24 September 1899 – 13 May 1970) was an Australian portrait and landscape artist of the 20th century. Dobell won the Archibald Prize, Australia's premier award for portrait artists on three occasions.

The Dobell Prize is named in his honour.

Career

Dobell was born in Cooks Hill, a working-class neighbourhood of Newcastle, New South Wales in Australia to Robert Way Dobell and Margaret Emma (née Wrightson).

His father was a builder and there were six children.

Dobell biography

Dobell's artistic talents were evident early. In 1916, he was apprenticed to Newcastle architect, Wallace L. Porter and in 1924 he moved to Sydney as a draftsman. In 1925, he enrolled in evening art classes at the Sydney Art School (which later became the Julian Ashton Art School), with Henry Gibbons as his teacher.

He was influenced by George Washington Lambert. He was also gay and consequently never married, while several of his works carried s