William Boissevain
Encyclopedia
William 'Wim' Boissevain (born 23 July 1927) is an Australian painter of Dutch extraction born Willem Geoffrey Boissevain in New York, son of Gideon Walrave 'Gi' Boissevain who was in the Dutch diplomatic service.
He studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, London
and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
, Paris
.
He arrived in Australia in 1947, became naturalised in 1949, and has established a studio at Glen Forrest in the Darling Range near Perth
.
From 1951 to 1955 he taught drawing and French at Wesley College, Perth
, later at Perth Technical College.
Since 1964 he has held exhibitions in many major galleries in Perth (commencing with the Skinner Gallery) and Sydney. His paintings are avidly sought by collectors.
His first wife Rhoda Elsie Boissevain (born 27 July 1918), also a fine portrait painter, was runner-up in the Rubinstein Prize
for portraiture 1960. She also taught at Perth Technical College in the 1960s. The National Library of Australia
has her 1955? portrait of Katharine Susannah Prichard
.
He studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
He arrived in Australia in 1947, became naturalised in 1949, and has established a studio at Glen Forrest in the Darling Range near Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
From 1951 to 1955 he taught drawing and French at Wesley College, Perth
Wesley College, Perth
Wesley College, informally known as Wesley, is an independent, day and boarding school for boys and girls , situated in South Perth, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia....
, later at Perth Technical College.
Since 1964 he has held exhibitions in many major galleries in Perth (commencing with the Skinner Gallery) and Sydney. His paintings are avidly sought by collectors.
His first wife Rhoda Elsie Boissevain (born 27 July 1918), also a fine portrait painter, was runner-up in the Rubinstein Prize
Helena Rubinstein
Helena Rubinstein , a Polish born Australian-American business magnate. She is the founder and eponym of Helena Rubinstein, Incorporated, which made her one of the world's richest women.-Early life:...
for portraiture 1960. She also taught at Perth Technical College in the 1960s. The National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
has her 1955? portrait of Katharine Susannah Prichard
Katharine Susannah Prichard
Katharine Susannah Prichard was an Australian author and co-founding member of the Communist Party of Australia.-Biography:...
.
Awards
- Rubinstein Prize for portraiture 1956
- Claude Hotchin Art Prize, 1959
- Perth Prize for Drawing International, Perth, Western Australia, 1971
- He was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1978 for his services to the advancement of art.
Representation
- His portrait of Sir James Alexander ForrestJames Alexander ForrestSir James "Jim" Alexander Forrest was an Australian lawyer, businessman and philanthropist.Born in Kerang, Victoria, Forrest was educated at Caulfield Grammar School in Melbourne before studying an articled clerk's course at the University of Melbourne...
is held in the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra