Hugh Ramsay the artist is not well known to the Australian public today. During his short life he proved to be a born portrait painter with a brilliant insight into the character of the people he painted. Most of his work is in the hands of private collectors and there have been few major exhibitions of his art. Hugh Ramsay lived, worked and died in Essendon.
Hugh Ramsay was born in Glasgow Scotland in 1877, he was the fourth of nine children. His father John a successful businessman suffering from a mid life crisis, decided to move the family to Melbourne Australia in 1878. John Ramsay recognised the potential to make money in Australia’s most prosperous colony, and felt the experience would be energising. By this stage after twelve children Hugh's dark and beautiful mother Margaret was overdue for a holiday.
Soon after moving to Australia, John Ramsay was making a fortune speculating in real estate. In 1888 he built a large house in Essendon called "Clydebank" on 15 acres of land that stretched all the way to the Maribyrnong River. The large Victorian style house with twenty rooms can still be viewed today. It is located on Vida Street Essendon and now belongs to the Ave Maria College. Clydebank has had a full restoration to its former glory and is classified by the National Trust. When viewing the house, if you let your mind drift it is easy to imagine the enormous wealth and splendour of post gold rush Victoria.
Young Hugh Ramsay, with the security of this environment, and large sandwiches to take to school everyday, attended Essendon Grammar School, where he excelled in all subjects especially art. After Essendon Grammar he went on to study at the National Gallery School of Victoria in 1894. He amazed his teachers with his talent to paint and paint quickly. His modesty and sense of humour made him many life long friends. Influenced by his teachers he knew it was essential to study abroad in Paris. In order to raise the money he gave painting lessons.
Hugh became infatuated with a beautiful young lady Lischen Muller who came to his studio to take painting lessons. Lischen turned out to be the love of his life, he painted her portrait, titled “Lady with a Fan,” 1904 it can be viewed at the National Gallery of Victoria. Personally this portrait is my favourite, it should be titled "Unrequited Love."
In January 1901 Hugh arrived in Paris, at the time it was the place to be if you wanted to learn the latest techniques in painting and develop a style. After eighteen months in Paris and just when he was receiving the success and recognition that his work deserved. Hugh was diagnosed with incipient tuberculosis. Believing that a warm climate would slow the progression of this fatal disease he quickly returned to Australia.
Ignoring doctor’s orders not to exhaust himself, Hugh continued to paint prolifically producing what is widely believed to be his masterpiece, the portrait titled “The Sisters”. Perhaps he believed that although he was dying only art remains eternal. This portrait can be viewed on the web site of the National Gallery of New South Wales.
Hugh Ramsay was twenty-eight when he said goodbye to this cruel world at Clydebank, Essendon, on 5th March 1906. In his short life Hugh had found great happiness in his art, he did not walk through this wonderful earth ignoring its beauty. But the gods were not satisfied with this sacrifice alone. His sister Jessie who nursed him to the end, contracted tuberculosis and she died four years later aged twenty two. They are buried together in a tomb at St Kilda cemetery, Melbourne. Jessie's portrait may be viewed at The Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.
Main reference and recommended further reading and viewing:
Fullerton, Patricia, Hugh Ramsay 1877 - 1906, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1992.
Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum has an excellent self portrait by Hugh Ramsay on the Australian Museums Online web site. Open the 'take a virtual reality tour inside' link, the self portrait is right of the white marble sculpture.
Self portrait Hugh Ramsay National Library of Australia
Portrait of his 19-year-old sister Madge National Gallery of Australia