Sydney Harbour to the Spirit of Bill W, 1987

BRETT WHITELEY
Sydney Harbour to the Spirit of Bill W, 1987
Oil, gesso, mixed media on wooden door panels
240 x 610 cm

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Artist Brett Whiteley, titled Sydney Harbour to the Spirit of Bill W, 1987. Brett Whiteley is one of Australia’s most celebrated artists. This large work commissioned for the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in 1987 has it all. Titled Sydney Harbour to the Spirit of Bill W, it presents us with a panoramic view of Sydney Harbour and is one of many works by Brett Whiteley exploring the subject matter seen and imagined from his lavender bay studio. Sun-worshipping bathers are draped on the shoreline whilst white birds soar through the skies, mirroring the billowing sails of the boats below. The painting displays recurrent motifs in Whiteley’s work, as well as demonstrating through colour, composition and space the influences of Henri Matisse. Sydney Harbour is infused with vitality and light, but it is also dominated by empty expanses of blue that suggest qualities of the harbour’s waters. Dark blue greens suggest fathomless depths. Rich ultramarines contrast with the vibrant orange of the fruiting palm, while areas of aquamarine portray the light-filled shadows.