{{Short description|Art museum in Melbourne}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Velasquez Gallery,''' also known as Velasquez Gallery at Tye's, and later Tye's Art Gallery, was a Melbourne art gallery that showed contemporary traditional, and later, modernist Australian art, including some sculpture and prints, as well as Australian indigenous art. It operated from 1940 to 1955.<ref name=":4">Stephanie Taylor, 'Closing of Tye's Gallery' in 'Letters to the editor', ''The Age'' Friday 21 Jan 1955, p.2</ref>
== History == The Velasquez Gallery, located in the basement at the rear of Tye's Furniture Building, 100 Bourke Street, Melbourne,<ref>{{Citation | author1=Akehurst, Christopher | title=Books and mateship at the bread and cheese club | journal=Quadrant | date=June 2019| volume=63 | issue=6 | pages=93–96 | issn=0033-5002}}</ref> was one of the few places to exhibit in 1940s Melbourne.<ref name=":0">Wendy Donald-Bradley (1991) ''Alannah Coleman: The Woman and her Role in Promoting Australian Art and Artists in the United Kingdom 1950–1990'', M.A. thesis, Melbourne: Victoria College, 1991</ref> The gallery opened during WW2 on 4 June 1940 with an exhibition of work by Australian proponent of Tonalism, Max Meldrum, and "autumn leaves from Mr. Tye's Macedon garden decorated the gallery".<ref name=":5">''The Age'', Thursday 13 Jun 1940, p.3</ref><ref name=":6">''The Age'', Friday 24 May 1940, p.4</ref><ref name=":7">{{Citation | author1=Bishop Family, Joseph | title=Mr Allen Tye's, Romsey |year=1900 | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/205998658 | access-date=22 October 2020}}</ref> When it first opened in June 1940,<ref name=":8" /> ''The Age'' described its facilities;
<blockquote>The Velasquez Gallery an interesting development in the progress of art in Melbourne is the establishment of a new gallery — to be known as the Velasquez Gallery— by Tye and Co., at their Bourke-street premises. The gallery, which is 50 feet square, is artificially lighted on a carefully considered plan, which allows for adjustments and modifications, and will ensure a uniform and even glow, such as cannot be got by a daylight arrangement. The general setting of the gallery is adequate, and pictures will be seen under the best possible conditions. The gallery will open with a one-man exhibition by Max Meldrum on June 4.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1940-05-24|title=The Velasquez Gallery|pages=4|work=The Age|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206775221|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref></blockquote> The business later expanded to 110-116 Bourke Street.<ref name=":2" />
==Ethos== The manager was painter/printmaker, critic, broadcaster and lecturer Stephanie Taylor (1899–1974),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au/artists/981/|title=Stephanie Taylor|website=printsandprintmaking.gov.au}}</ref><ref name="auto">''The Age'', Thursday 24 Jul 1947, p.2</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Past present : the national women's art anthology|date=1999|publisher=Craftsman House|author1=Kerr, Joan|author2=Holder, Jo|isbn=90-5704-141-3|location=Sydney, Australia|oclc=43456583}}</ref> and director, the art collector and connoisseur<ref>''The Sydney Morning Herald'', Saturday 2 Apr 1932, p.9</ref> George Page-Cooper (c.1895-1967).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au/artists/5035/|title=George Page-Cooper|website=printsandprintmaking.gov.au}}</ref><ref name=":3">Lahey, John. "Pleasant surprises in a life full of art", ''The Age'', Tuesday, 21 Nov 1995, p.11</ref> The gallery showed contemporary traditional, and later, Modern Australian art, including some sculpture and prints, as well as indigenous art. In 1948, twenty-seven of Sidney Nolan's Kelly series paintings were shown at the Velasquez Gallery for the first time.<ref name=":0" /><ref>"The Kelly gang in pictures", ''The Age'', Wednesday 27 Jun 1956, p.2</ref> Under the management of Taylor, women artists were given much better exposure than at other galleries,<ref name=":1" /><ref>''The Age'', Wednesday 14 Apr 1937, p.18</ref> and she organised a number of shows to raise funds for charities.<ref>''The Age'', Wednesday 16 Jun 1943, p.3</ref><ref>''The Age'', Saturday 29 May 1943, p.4</ref> A September 1943 report in ''The Bulletin'' demonstrates its optimistic openness to Modernism; {{blockquote|Art shows of various groups and the crowds they draw give abundant evidence that war hasn’t yet squelched our aesthetic senses. Norman MacGeorge, expatiating on surrealism and symbolism and such developments, drew a surprisingly large audience to the Velasquez Galleries. He took his examples from the Contemporary Art Group’s show.<ref>''The Bulletin'', Sydney, N.S.W.: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, Vol. 64 No. 3317 (8 Sep 1943), p.25</ref>}}
== Closure == Page-Cooper moved on in 1952 with the unrealised intention to set up another gallery in the city<ref>''The Age'', Saturday, 29 Nov 1952, p.14</ref> before Velasquez Gallery closed early 1955.<ref>''The Bulletin'', Sydney, N.S.W.: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, Vol. 76 No. 3910 (19 Jan 1955), p.19</ref> Taylor wrote to ''The Age'' newspaper: {{blockquote|...the passing of Tye's Art Gallery will be regretted by many art lovers who will remember some of the fine exhibitions that were held there. It Is a pity that there are not a few more public-spirited people like the late Mr. Tye, who are willing to sacrifice a little of their profits for the cultural development of the city which gives them a living.<ref name=":4" />}} Page-Cooper's collection, which included significant works by S. T. Gill, William Dobell, Arthur Streeton, Hans Heysen, Charles Conder and Tom Roberts, was offered for sale by the Leonard Joel auction house after his death in 1967<ref>Geoff Maslen, 'Still going, going, gone', ''The Age'', Thursday 24 Mar 1994, p.9</ref><ref>Mary Eagle, 'Fancy prices and bargains', ''The Age'' Saturday 7 Oct 1978, p.25</ref> with further works disposed by auction in 1995.<ref name=":3" />
== Exhibitions == As 'Velasquez Gallery': * 1940, 4–22 June Max Meldrum retrospective, opened by Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne John Medley<ref name=":8">{{Cite news|date=1940-05-31|title=Melbourne to Have New Art Gallery|pages=4|work=The Herald|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244133124|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite news|date=1940-06-03|title=Meldrum Show in New City Gallery|pages=13|work=The Herald|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243225885|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=1940-06-03|title=Art Of Max Meldrum In Retrospect|author=Basil Burdett|pages=17|work=The Herald|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243225994|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=1940-06-04|title=The Life of Melbourne |pages=6|work=Argus|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12468248|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=1940-06-04|title=Art Gallery Opening|pages=10|work=The Age|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206774775|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=1940-06-05|title=Art and Culture Worth Fighting For|pages=2|work=Argus|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12468466|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref> * 1940, July 2: Children's Exhibition, 130 works from Australia, Britain, United States, Canada, Spain, Poland and other countries, opened by Daryl Lindsay and Lady Brookes,<ref>{{Cite news|date=1940-07-02|title=Pictures by Children|pages=11|work=The Age|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204401782|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref> silver coin fundraiser for the Red Cross<ref>{{Cite news|date=1940-07-03|title=Children's Art Exhibition|pages=5|work=The Age|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204408046|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref> * 1940, 7–21 August: Arnold Shore, landscapes and still life, opened by Russell Grimwade<ref>{{Cite news|date=1940-08-07|title=Art of Arnold Shore|pages=5|work=The Age|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204411979|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=1940-08-30|title=News in Brief|pages=8|work=The Age|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204401396|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref> * 1940, August: Frank R. Crozier, war paintings and landscapes in aid of A.I.F. 22nd Battalion Comforts Fund. Curated by Cecily Crozier (niece)<ref>{{Citation | title=The bulletin. | section=105 volumes : illustrations (chiefly coloured), portraits (chiefly coloured); 30-40 cm. | issn=0007-4039 | series=John Ryan Comic Collection (Specific issues). | volume=61 |issue= 3160 |date= 4 Sep 1940 | location=Sydney, N.S.W | publisher=John Haynes and J.F. Archibald | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-592278493 | id=nla.obj-592278493 | access-date=10 August 2021 | via=Trove }}</ref><ref>"Art Exhibit Opened," ''The Age'', Wednesday, 28 Aug 1940, p.5</ref> * 1940, 13 September: Noel Blaubaum, Melbourne and Hobart landscapes in monotypes and oils<ref>{{Cite news|date=1940-09-13|title=New Paths in Art|pages=11|work=The Age|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204383941|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref> * 1940, 30 September - October: Paintings by Miss A.M.E. Bale, * 1940, 18–30 November: The Bread and Cheese Club's Australian Art & Literature Exhibition<ref>Malloch, H., & Bread Cheese Club. (1940). A brief history of the Bread and Cheese Club, Melbourne / by Harry Malloch. Melbourne: The Club.</ref><ref>''The Bulletin'', Sydney, N.S.W.: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, Vol. 61 No. 3172 (27 Nov 1940), p.29</ref> * 1941: Exhibition of paintings sculpture and pottery by Australian artists to aid the Red Cross. * 1941: 18 February – 3 March: Exhibition of clay sculptures on Australian Aboriginal folk-lore by William Ricketts: legends collected by Sir Baldwin Spencer, K.C.M.G., F.R.S. and David Uniapon<ref>Ricketts, W., & Waller, O. (1941). Exhibition of clay sculptures on Australian Aboriginal folk-lore by William Ricketts: Legends collected by Sir Baldwin Spencer, K.C.M.G., F.R.S. and David Uniapon. Brighton, Vic.: Middle Brighton Printery.</ref> * 1941, 9 August – 30 August: Exhibition of paintings by Edith Holmes. * 1943, from 16 June: Red Cross fundraising exhibition curated by Stephanie Taylor from works, including her own, by Rupert Bunny, Arthur Streeton, Max Meldrum, James Peter Quinn, Charles Wheeler, Hans Heysen, James R. Jackson, Robert Johnson, Raymond Wallis, Robert Campbell, L. Bernard Hall, William B. McInnes, Albert Ernest Newbury, Isabel May Tweddle, Violet McInnes, Dorothy Moore, and Douglas Thomas * 1943, 16 – 27 July: Adrian George Feint * 1943, 16 July – 27 July: Exhibition of the Graphic Arts * 1943, from 15 August: Exhibition of bookbinding to aid the Red Cross<ref>"Hand-bound books displayed", ''The Age'', Tuesday, 17 Aug 1943, p.3</ref> * 1943, 24 August – 3 September: Contemporary Art Society * 1943, from 14 September: Gwen Barringer<ref>''The Age'', Wednesday, 15 Sep 1943, p.3</ref> * 1943–5, 16 November 1943 – 27 July 1945: Touring Exhibition of Graphic Arts * 1944, from 4 April: paintings by Alannah Coleman and Joan Malcolm, opened by actor Claude Flemming * 1944, 10 – 20 May: Stephanie Taylor, 43 watercolours and oils<ref>''The Age'', Friday, 05 May 1944, p.5</ref><ref>"Art as antidote", ''The Age'' Thursday 11 May 1944, p.2</ref><ref>''The Bulletin'', Sydney, N.S.W.: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, Vol. 65 No. 3352 (10 May 1944), p.24</ref> * 1945: First annual exhibition, artists E. Alsop, Wallace Anderson, Clothilde Atyeo, A.M.E. Bale, E. Monette Baxter, Tom Bell, Josl Bergner, Arthur Boyd, Ian Bow, Lina Bryans, Nutter Buzacott, Victor E. Cobb, Valerie Cohen, Yvonne F. Cohen, W. Coleman, Elizabeth Colquhoun, F. Lawrence Coles, Noel Counihan, Sybil Craig, Peggy Crombie, Mabel Crump, Aileen Dent, Max Dimmack, Ailsa Donaldson, Ambrose Dyson, Esme Farmer, John Farmer, Alma Figuerola, Burton Fox, Madge Freeman, William Frater, Grace Gardiner, Ina Gregory, Nornie Gude, W.G. Gulliver, Michael Hall, John Heath, Edward Heffernan, Roy Opie, Betty Paterson, Esther Paterson, John Perceval, A. Plante, Muriel Pornett, James Quinn, M. Rankin, Jack Sampson, Dora Serle, Bruno Simon, David Sing, Colvin L. Smith, J.T. Smith, W. Spence, N.F. Suhr, Jean P. Sutherland, Jo Sweatman, E.W. Syme, Arnold Shore, Stephanie Taylor, George H. Tichauer, Louise Thomas, Violet Teague, Francis Roy Thompson,{{efn|See New Gallery of Fine Art.}} Rollo Thomson, Albert Tucker, Kit Turner, Danila Vassilieff, J. Wentcher, Tina Wentcher, James V. Wigley, Nora Wilkie, Dora L. Wilson, Noel Wood, Marjorie Woolcock, Joan Yonge, Marguerite Mahood. * 1945, 24 April to 5 May: Exhibition of Aboriginal arts & crafts *1945, 5–16 June: Roger Kemp - first solo exhibition, 37 works<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bell|first=George|date=6 June 1945|title=|work=The Sun}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Art Exhibition – Athenæum – |work=The Age|date=6 Jun 1945|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204016115|access-date=2021-08-08|via=Trove|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=1945-06-05|title=Three Art Shows|pages=5|work=Argus|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article967041|access-date=2021-08-08}}</ref> * 1945, 2–13 July: Contemporary Child Art to Aid Red Cross Funds, Arranged by Woman"s World, Exhibition opened by Lady Brookes at Velasquez Gallery, Tye's Building * 1945, 1 March – 1 April: Exhibition of paintings by Ivan Yakovlev * 1945, 3 – 13 April: Australian C.E.M.A. Victorian Division, Autumn Arts Festival. First Annual Exhibition. * 1945, 16 – 23 May: Exhibition of works of art by well known Australian artists for the benefit of The Lord Mayor's Appeal (The Rt. Hon. Cr. Sir Thomas S. Nettlefold, K.B., O.B.E.,) for totally and permanently disabled service men and service women. * 1945, 16 – 27 July: Exhibition of the Graphic Arts; Bread and Cheese Club, Australian Bookplate Club. * 1946, 8 – 19 January: Three Tasmanian artists; Winifred Biggins, Eileen Brooker, Dorothy Stoner * 1946, 12 – 23 March: Exhibition by Water Colour Group * 1947, from 24 July: Sculpture by Arthur Fleischmann and Lyndon Dadswell, opened by Frank Thring<ref name="auto"/> * 1947, September: John Middleton<ref>''The Age'', Tuesday 23 Sep 1947, p.14</ref> * 1948, 1 May – 8 June: Edith Holmes * 1948, April: The Kelly paintings of Sidney Nolan 1946-47 * 1948? 7–19 June: Elizabeth Durack paintings By the late 1940s in publicity and in general references to it, the gallery is usually just 'Tye's Gallery’: * 1948: Loan collection of paintings from Dr. and Mrs. T.J. Kiernan, Irish Legation, Canberra, A.C.T. * 1948, October: Stephanie Taylor, 64 watercolours<ref>''The Age'', Tuesday 12 Oct 1948, p.2</ref> * 1948, 26 October – 5 November: Loan exhibition of paintings of horses...to benefit Ada Mary A'Beckett Free Kindergarten, Fisherman's Bend. * 1949, June: Dutch paintings<ref>''The Age'', Thursday 23 Jun 1949, p.5</ref> * 1949, from 13 September: paintings by official R.A.A.F. and War Memorial artists Eric Thake, Harold Freedman and Max Newton to mark Air Force week, opened by Air Marshal G. Jones<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189465182 |title='War Artists show at Tye's Gallery' |newspaper=The Age |issue=29447 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=13 September 1949 |access-date=22 October 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> * 1949, September: Stephanie Taylor, watercolours and oils<ref>''The Age'', Saturday, 24 Sep 1949, p. 6</ref><ref>"Colorful work", ''The Age'' Tuesday 27 Sep 1949, p.2</ref> * 1949, from 1 October: Leonard French * 1950, from 1 February: British Council exhibition of prints and photographs * 1950, from 7 February: Swiss poster design<ref>''The Age'', Wednesday 8 Feb 1950, p.5</ref> * 1950, 23 May – 2 June Tenth anniversary 1940 - 1950. * 1952, 11 March: Spencer Jackson Historical Australasian Art Collection, opened by Daryl Lindsay<ref name=":2">''The Age'', Tuesday 11 Mar 1952, p.3</ref> * 1952 Photographs of Yugoslavia<ref>''The Age'', Tuesday 1 Apr 1952, p.2</ref> * 1952, October: Children's Art Exhibition at Tye's Gallery, opened by Archbishop Mannix, included work by Germaine Greer in the Under-14 section<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article172527215 |title=High Standard of Children's Art |newspaper=Advocate |volume=LXXXV |issue=5071 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=2 October 1952 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> * 1954, 6 April – 23 April: Contemporary Art Society commemorative exhibition; 86 painters and sculptors including women artists Mirka Mora, Erica McGilchrist, Ethel Barnes and Elizabeth Vassilief<ref>''The Age'', Tuesday 6 Apr 1954, p.7</ref> * 1954, 14 September – 25 September: Artists for Peace. * 1954, 6–23 April: Contemporary Art Society Commemorative Exhibition
==Footnotes== {{notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}} {{coord|-37.812177|144.970209|display=title}}
Category:1940 establishments in Australia Category:Art museums and galleries established in 1940 Category:Art museums and galleries in Melbourne Category:Art museums and galleries disestablished in 1955 Category:1955 disestablishments in Australia