Grace Joel

Grace Jane Joel (28 May 1865–6 March 1924) was a New Zealand artist best known for her ability as a portraitist and figure painter.

Early life Grace Joel was born in Dunedin, New Zealand on 28 May 1865, the sixth of nine children. Her English-born parents, Maurice Joel and Kate Woolf, were prominent and cultivated members of Dunedin's Jewish community, who worked as importers of wine and spirits. Grace Joel was determined to pursue an art career from an early age. After attending Otago Girls' High School from 1875 to 1882, she became an elected member of the Otago Art Society in 1886. From 1888 to 1889 she studied at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School in Melbourne, returning there in 1891 to continue studies with tutors like Frederick McCubbin and Lindsay Bernard Hall.

Career

Joel returned to Dunedin in 1894, ready to establish herself as a professional artist. She became involved in the Otago Art Society and the Easel Club, where she associated with Italian artist G. P. Nerli (among others). She distinguished herself in the local art scene by focusing on figures and portraits, often drawing on a rich palette of colour.

Eager to further establish her artistic reputation, Joel left New Zealand for Europe in 1899. She settled in London but also worked in France and the Netherlands, exhibiting regularly at the Royal Academy of Arts in London and the Société des artistes français in Paris with a measure of success.

Joel Place, in the Canberra suburb of Conder, is named in her honour.

Works in collections TitleYearMediumGallery no.GalleryLocation Roses circa 1895 Oil on canvas 2006-0007-2 Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Wellington, New Zealand Little Nell circa 1895 Oil on canvas 2010-0009-1 Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Wellington, New Zealand Study of a young girl, half length circa 1895-1900 Charcoal on paper 2014/5/3 Auckland Art Gallery Auckland, New Zealand Portrait of G. P. Nerli mid 1890s Oil on canvas on plywood 8568 Art Gallery of New South Wales Sydney, Australia A Young Girl in Blue Holding Primroses circa 1895 Pastel on canvas 27-1979 Dunedin Public Art Gallery Dunedin, New Zealand A Rose 'midst Poppies 1895 Oil on canvas 69/530 Christchurch Art Gallery Christchurch, New Zealand A Time of Prayer 1904 Oil on canvas 79/285 Christchurch Art Gallery Christchurch, New Zealand Girl with scarf circa 1896 Oil on canvas 2010/7 Auckland Art Gallery Auckland, New Zealand Memories: Portrait of Kate Morrison circa 1897 Oil on canvas 236-1969 Dunedin Public Art Gallery Dunedin, New Zealand Portrait of Vivien Oakden circa 1898 Oil on canvas 76/17 a5342 Hocken Pictorial Collections, University of Otago Dunedin, New Zealand (Rt Hon) Richard John Seddon 1906 (?) Oil on canvas G-632 Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Wellington, New Zealand Mother and child circa 1910 Oil on canvas 1983-0069-1 Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Wellington, New Zealand Mother and child circa 1904 Oil on canvas 1957/18/2 Auckland Art Gallery Auckland, New Zealand Reclining Nude circa 1895-1905 Oil on canvas 7-1985 Dunedin Public Art Gallery Dunedin, New Zealand The sweeper Unknown Oil on canvas 1-1xxx Dunedin Public Art Gallery Dunedin, New Zealand Portrait Study of a Child Unknown Charcoal on paper 244-1982 Dunedin Public Art Gallery Dunedin, New Zealand Portrait of Arthur Streeton circa 1900-1905 Oil on canvas on hardboard 5722 Art Gallery of New South Wales Sydney, Australia Girl in a pink dress circa 1920 Oil on canvas 1983-0069-2 Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Wellington, New ZealandThe yellow sun-bonnet UnknownOlveston Historic HomeDunedin, New Zealand