Troy McKenzie Women Artists: Hilda Rix Nicholas

WOMEN ARTISTS Hilda Rix Nicholas: From Ballarat to Tangier

Women Artists Auction Wed 21 Oct, 6pm MELBOURNE

ABOVE: Hilda Rix Nicholas sketching in the marketplace, 1914

LEFT: HILDA RIX NICHOLAS (1884-1961) The Arab Sheep Market, Tangier 1914 oil on canvas

PROVENANCE: Dr J. P. Rasmussen OAM Thence by descent Private collection, New South Wales $50,000-60,000 Leonard Joel’s annual Women Artists Auction is a much-anticipated event for collectors, showcasing an exciting collection of works by female artists that are now demanding the academic and commercial recognition they so rightfully deserve. This year’s exhibition continues to focus on artists of the early 20th Century, a turning point for many artists when overseas travel and study became more accessible than ever before.

Establishing success early in her career, Ballarat born Hilda Rix Nicholas exhibited locally in Melbourne at The Austral Salon and at the Victorian Artists’ Society, while studying under Frederick McCubbin. After her father’s tragic and sudden death, Hilda and her family made the decision to travel to Europe. This fateful decision not only brought hope of a fresh start but also exposed Hilda to Europe’s most influential art movements which would have a profound impact on her oeuvre.

Visiting North Africa twice, Hilda was one of the first Australian artists to follow the trend and undertake what was known as the ‘artist’s circuit’ throughout French North Africa, also known as the Maghreb. The unique qualities of the sun and striking architecture served as a challenge to western artists with formal European training. During her first visit to North Africa in 1912, Rix Nicholas travelled to Morocco and Spain for three months, basing herself out of Tangier, and then returning in 1914 with her sister, Elsie. Fascinated by this region, these trips offered her the opportunity to paint en plein air in a new environment. Experimenting with style and colour, she produced intimate scenes of local villagers, public spaces and town life. Working quickly to avoid the notice of passers-by, Rix Nicholas honed her swift handling of paint to capture the light, movement and shapes of the busy street scenes unfolding around her in a matter of minutes. Her works acted as a glimpse into life in North Africa, an exotic and dreamy destination for many back home.

Sadly, a house fire claimed many works from her African series with the majority of oils remaining now secured in institutional collections. Leonard Joel is honoured to offer Arab Sheep Market, Tangier 1914 in our October sale, as one of the rare remaining oils of this series to ever come to public auction. Arab Sheep Market, Tangier 1914 is executed with brilliant pictorial movement - the play of sunlight glistens across the surface, the powerful African sun illuminating the whitewashed architecture and textured garments. Her colour palette became liberated, with bursts of pinks, purples, and oranges in line with her Fauvist influences. The warmth of her creams and yellows are felt not just seen, a true testament to Hilda’s distinctive post-impressionist style.

Arab Sheep Market, Tangier 1914 has been muchadmired in many significant exhibitions, loaned from the significant Rasmussen Family Collection in whose care it has been for many decades. Hilda Rix Nicholas’ works were celebrated for much of her lifetime, but the art world slowly began to exclude her from important discussions of 20th Century Australian art. Her work is rightfully now re-emerging from the plethora of Australian female artists unjustly left behind, and we are pleased to showcase this painting as the leading work of our Women Artists auction on the 21st of October.

LUCY FOSTER / Fine Art Specialist

FINE JEWELS & TIMEPIECES

Buying A Diamond At Auction

Fine Jewels & Timepieces Auction Mon 30 Nov, 6pm MELBOURNE With an eclectic range of contemporary, vintage and antique pieces available, jewellery auctions are an excellent place to consider when looking to source a diamond. As with any major purchase or investment, doing some informed research and becoming familiar with the market is highly recommended. Read on to discover how to get started, with key points to consider and questions to ask, no matter your taste or budget.

To begin with, let us look at the basics of diamond grading. Diamond quality is determined by a system colloquially known as ‘The Four Cs’, referring to cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. Together these four factors form the basis of a classification system for diamond grading that influences values.

Cut The cut of a diamond refers to its shape and proportions. Stones may be cut in a variety of shapes including round brilliant, baguette, emerald, square, pear, cushion and marquise to name only a few. Whilst choosing a cut is predominantly personal preference, ensuring the stone has good proportions is important. The proportions of a stone are the specific facet lengths and angles, all of which can affect the brilliance of the stone.

Colour Naturally occurring in a full range of colours including pink, yellow, blue, green, grey and even black, diamonds are commonly graded on a scale of colourlessness. Starting with D and running down the alphabet, diamonds are graded from colourless through to white and tinted. Much like the cut of a diamond, colour can often come down to personal preference although colourless and near colourless diamonds command a higher price. In the case of rare ‘fancy coloured’ diamonds such as a natural vivid blue, scarcity drives the value upwards. Only 1 in 100,000 qualifies as a natural fancy coloured diamond!

Clarity Clarity is the third important element that categorises the stone purity. Evaluating the clarity of a diamond involves assessing the naturally occurring internal characteristics, noting the shape, colour, size, and positioning within the stone. The GIA (Gemmological Institute of America) has formulated a grading scale to describe these characteristics running from Internally Flawless through to Included. Whilst some inclusions may be visible to the naked eye, many are only visible with a 10x loupe. Keep in mind that these natural inclusions are what makes each diamond unique! Carat The final component is the diamond carat. Diamonds are measured by weight rather than size, and therefore the heavier the diamond the greater the carat weight. Pricing is determined by an exponential scale since the larger carat weights are generally rarer and more desirable, making them higher in value.

Once familiar with the basics of diamond grading, there are some specific points to consider before bidding on a diamond at auction. A jewellery specialist can help with these technical questions:

Does this diamond have fluorescence? Fluorescence refers to a diamond’s tendency to emit a soft glow when exposed to ultraviolet light. Many diamonds have some degree of fluorescence. Under certain light conditions, a slight fluorescence may make a tinted diamond appear whiter. In contrast, medium to strong fluorescence in a high colour stone may impact the brilliance of the stone.

Has the diamond undergone any treatment? There are a host of treatments that can be applied to a diamond to enhance colour and clarity. Some treatments are stable and permanent, whilst some can compromise the structure of the stone, leading to potential damage during wear, repair or cleaning. It is important to understand what, if any, treatment has been applied, as this can significantly affect the value. Diamond treatments must be disclosed to buyers, and a jewellery specialist can further elaborate on any questions you may have about specific treatments and enhancements.

Is there any accompanying certification? At auctions, diamonds are offered from a range of eras, some preceding certification. However, many modern diamonds are accompanied by independent laboratory reports. Whilst not essential, having certification is good for peace of mind and may be useful if reselling the piece in the future.

What is the condition of the diamond? Although incredibly hard-wearing, diamonds are still susceptible to some ‘wear and tear’. Often, abrasions and chips are only visible under loupe or microscope magnification, so request a condition report or ask a jewellery specialist to assist.

With several Important and Fine Jewels & Timepieces auctions per annum, along with a weekly jewellery offering presented as The Jewellery Salon within The Thursday Auction, Leonard Joel has a truly eclectic offering of diamonds available.

Happy browsing!

BETHANY MCGOUGAN / Senior Jewellery Specialist