Arthur Murch

{{Short description|Australian artist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2015}} {{for|the 19th-century illustrator|Arthur Murch (illustrator)}}

'''Arthur James Murch''' (8 July 1902, Croydon (Sydney) – 3 September 1989, Avalon (Sydney)) was an Australian artist<ref name=bio/> who won the Archibald Prize in 1949 with a portrait of Bonar Dunlop. Dunlop was a New Zealand artist sculptor and illustrator.<ref>[https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/1949/17671/ Winner: Archibald Prize 1949], Art Gallery of NSW</ref>

== Biography == Antonio Dattilo-Rubbo introduced him to the French Post-Impressionists,<ref name=":0" /> Cézanne and Seurat. His style later became more Cubist. In 1924, he studied with Rayner Hoff at East Sydney Technical College.<ref name=":0" />

Murch spent time training in London at the Chelsea Polytechnic and at Académie Julian, Paris<ref name=":0">{{Citation|last=Roberts|first=Jan|title=Murch, Arthur James (1902–1989)|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/murch-arthur-james-15030|work=Australian Dictionary of Biography|place=Canberra|publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University|access-date=2020-10-01}}</ref> and visiting Italy<ref>{{Cite web|title=Arthur Murch, b. 1902|url=http://www.portrait.gov.au/people/arthur-murch-1902/|access-date=2020-10-01|website=National Portrait Gallery people}}</ref> after winning the 1925 Society of Artists' Scholarship.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vol. 7 No. 2 (1 February 1926)|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-380852594|access-date=2020-08-15|via=Trove|language=en}}</ref>

From 1927 to 1930 he worked with artist George Lambert, assisting him with sculptural commissions.

In 1933, he formed part of an Australian expedition into central Australia to Hermannsberg. He later shared his experiences in The Home magazine.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Trove|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/234011931?keyword=%22arthur%20Murch%22&sortBy=dateDesc&l-decade=193|access-date=2020-08-15|via=Trove|language=en}}</ref> In 1936, he exhibited works at the Macquarie Galleries, created after his second "Centralian" expedition, showing landscapes and portraits of the Pentupui indigenous community.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vol. 57 No. 2937 (27 May 1936)|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-558326760|access-date=2020-08-15|via=Trove|language=en}}</ref> In 1937 Murch became a foundation member of, and exhibited with, Robert Menzies' anti-modernist organisation, the Australian Academy of Art.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-323428163 |title=Australian Academy of Art First Exhibition, April 8th-29th, Sydney : Catalogue |publisher=Australian Academy of Art |year=1938 |edition=1st |location=Sydney |language=en |access-date=2022-11-02}}</ref> Ironically, Much's painting style displays strong Art Deco leanings.

He was appointed as an official war artist for six months during the Second World War covering the American and Australia military activities in Australia – 47 works of his are in the Australian War Memorial's collection.<ref name=bio>[https://www.awm.gov.au/people/P65115/ Arthur James Murch biography], Australian War Memorial</ref>

Murch wrote occasionally on art subjects for ''The Home'' magazine.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vol. 21 No. 5 (1 May 1940)|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-387284670|access-date=2020-08-15|via=Trove|language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *http://www.arthurmurch.com *[https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/?artist_id=murch-arthur Works by the artist in the collection of the Art Gallery of NSW] *[https://artsearch.nga.gov.au/detail.cfm?irn=50307&pictaus=true Works by the artist in the collection of the National Gallery of Australia] *[https://www.portrait.gov.au/people/arthur-murch-1902 Photo portrait of artist in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery]

{{s-start}} {{s-ach|aw}} {{s-bef|before=William Dobell}} {{s-ttl|title=Archibald Prize|years=1949<br/>for ''Bonar Dunlop''}} {{s-aft|after=William Dargie}} {{s-end}} {{subject bar|auto=y|d=y|Art}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murch, Arthur}} Category:Archibald Prize winners Category:1902 births Category:1989 deaths Category:Australian portrait painters Category:World War II artists Category:Australian war artists Category:20th-century Australian male artists Category:Australian male painters Category:20th-century Australian painters Category:Australian modern painters