Description

Extended Data

DAAO URL

https://www.daao.org.au/bio/john-campbell

Birth Place

Scotland, UK

Biography

Painter, scenic painter and decorator, was born in Scotland. John Campbell was said to have been a member of an aristocratic Scottish family who lived in Parramatta in the late 1880s and early 1890s, but if he emigrated earlier he may well be the John Campbell who signed an extremely detailed watercolour of a large unidentified house in Sydney c.1875 (Historic Houses Trust on NSW Conservation Resources Centre, Lyndhurst), which shows the colour of the shutters, the cast iron posts and upstairs verandah panels (brown), birds nest ferms in terracotta pipes and post and rail fencing. John Campbell travelled to or lived in Queensland for a time (he was working in Brisbane c.1889 and was back in NSW c.1890 as well as Tasmania (thought to be c.1905-6, leading to speculation that John Campbell might also be known as J.T. Campbell ). John Campbell moved to Perth c.1900 and remained there until he died, working as a scene painter and decorator (and apparently active WA c.1896-1910 and possibly longer; again in NSW c.1918). He painted naïve detailed views of places and buildings around Perth and is said to have remarked, 'Lucky to get 10 bob for a picture’. Osborne Park Hotel 1904, watercolour (Holmes à Court Collection, Heytesbury) depicts the pub at the end of one of the first electric tramlines in Perth, the tram and the passengers and picknickers in detail. Perth, Railway Station 1903 (p.c.) includes a notice on a billboard stating: 'For pictures and scenery go to J. Campbell, Perth’. Other paintings include The Swan Brewery 1904, pen, ink and wash (UWA), Subiaco Railway Station 1909, oil on canvas (RWAHS), a view of Perth and South Perth from Kings Park 1910, o/c (Holmes a Court, Heytesbury), Military Camp at Blackboy 1915, oil on board (p.c.), Military Camp, Claremont 1915, oil on canvas showing troops training at the Claremont Show Grounds (offered Deutscher-Menzies 'Australian and International Fine Art’ auction, Sydney, 5 March 2002, lot 69, est. $50,000-$60,000) and Shamrock Hotel 1919, oil on board (p.c.): all are illustrated in Baker. Writers: Staff Writer Date written: 1999 Last updated: 2011

Born

b. 1855

Summary

Scenic painter and decorator who worked in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania. Campbell also painted views of places and buildings around Perth.

Gender

Male

Died

1924

Age at death

69