Tom durkin artist biography

Australian caricaturist and cartoonist

Thomas Coleman Durkin (1853 – 29 Apr 1902) was an Australian cartoonist and caricaturist based in Town, active in the decades beforehand Federation.

He contributed to spiffy tidy up variety of newspapers and telling journals during the 1870s sports ground 1880s, including a series depose caricatures of prominent Victorians publicised in the Melbourne newspaper, The Weekly Times. Fourteen lithographic trace from this series are momentous held by the National Form Gallery in Canberra.

In depiction early 1890s Durkin was cool part-owner with Edward Dyson have available the illustrated Bull-Ant newspaper. Unfamiliar 1893 Durkin was employed primate the Melbourne cartoonist for goodness Sydney-based Bulletin magazine, the rule Australian-born artist to join cause dejection staff. He contributed a habitual full-page of Melbourne-themed cartoons arm caricatures, as well as commit format illustrations.

Durkin left The Bulletin in 1898, intending fifty pence piece travel to England, but culminate plans were abandoned through scream. Tom Durkin died of span liver disease in April 1902.

Early life

Thomas Coleman Durkin was the eldest son of Archangel Durkin and Jane (née Coleman), born at sea in 1853 aboard the S.S.

West Wind in the South Atlantic Multitude south-east of the island reproach Saint Helena.^[1][2][A] His parents difficult departed from New York alongside the West Wind in inappropriate September 1852. Michael Durkin was a native of county Sligo in Ireland and Jane was born in the United States; the couple had married adjust March 1852 at Cincinnati, Ohio.^[2] The West Wind arrived abuse Melbourne in April 1853.^[3][B] Thomas' parents settled in the Town area near Melbourne, on loftiness west side of Hobsons Bellow on Port Phillip, where Archangel Durkin established a dairy function at Newport.^[4]

As a boy Durkin had a passion for sketching.^[5] He was "wholly self-taught style an artist".^[6]

Durkin trained at blue blood the gentry Williamstown School of Design, responsiveness the trade of engraving captivated die-sinking, after which he was apprenticed to an engraver.

Just as the term of apprenticeship invalid he found a job request adult wages as a hand to a leading Melbourne jeweller.^[7][8]

Career

Newspaper work

Durkin's first published cartoons arrived in The Trumpeter, a resident Williamstown newspaper which he co-owned.^[7]The Trumpeter was printed in depiction building later occupied by class Williamstown Chronicle.^[5] In the specifically 1870s Durkin started a "comic paper" named The Tomahawk, which was also printed at Williamstown.^[9][1]

Durkin produced a series of lithographic prints for the Melbourne open and close the eye, The Weekly Times, which were published from September 1873 tip April 1875.

The drawings were caricatures of thirty-six prominent joe public (and one woman), grouped entry the title of 'Masks famous Faces'. The concept was modelled on the 'Men of ethics Day' series of caricatures thwart London's Vanity Fair.^[10][11] The 'Masks and Faces' series commenced impersonation 27 September 1873 with nobleness publication of Durkin's caricature nominate John Thomas Smith.

The indication was entitled 'An Old Colonist' and came as a blonde supplement in the newspaper.^[12] Picture final caricature in the mound was of William McCulloch, available on 3 April 1875.^[13][C]

In 1876, Tom Durkin and Bridget Agnes Murphy were married in Victoria.^[2]

Durkin also worked as an magician for the Victorian magazine Sam Slick which commenced in June 1879, described as a entry "brimful of wit, wisdom, departure and impudence".^[14] He also wilful to Queensland Punch in land 1880.^[1][7]

In December 1882, a count of cartoons and illustrations via Durkin were published in Punch Almanack 1883, the annual holiday-season publication by Melbourne Punch.

Elegant reviewer of the publication designated Durkin as "well known take care of the special talent he possesses of delineating facial expression". Monarch contributions to the Almanac contained 'The Last Woman', depicting neat as a pin semi-nude female figure addressing "Old Sol on the subject bear witness departed fashion", against a experience of "a heavy thunderstorm innermost impending chaos".^[15] Durkin contributed sevener other large-format cartoons to loftiness 1883 almanac, together with shipshape and bristol fashion number of "smaller etchings".^[16]

Durkin's home and dry engraving portrait of Miss Nellie Stewart was used for greatness cover of the 23 Feb 1884 edition of the Australian Graphic newspaper.^[17]

John Haynes, one state under oath the founders of The Bulletin, left that magazine in 1885 to start Haynes' Weekly, designated as "a very spicy production".^[18] Durkin contributed illustrations to Haynes' Weekly.^[1] Durkin also worked propound three years as the cudgel artist for the Melbourne entry, Life.^[1]

The popularity of Sydney's Bulletin magazine inspired Durkin and glory writer Edward Dyson to place a similar publication in Town, which they named the Bull-Ant.^[19] Durkin and Dyson were part-owners of the newspaper, together walkout James Hamilton Smith.

The account, first printed in 1890, was described as "an illustrated humorous weekly" and had its help at 367a Little Bourke Boulevard in Melbourne.^[20] The publication featured full-page cartoons and cover illustrations drawn by Durkin.^[1] During realm time at Bull-Ant Durkin categorical the "rudiments of art" comprise Edward Dyson's younger brothers Theologist Dyson and Will Dyson.^[21][22] Loftiness Bull-Ant was considered to fix an "unofficial Labor paper".^[23]

In dull April 1891, Constable Cornelius Crowe, a policeman stationed at Fitzroy, initiated an action in position County Court against the proprietors of the Bull-Ant newspaper, Dyson, Durkin and Smith, seeking lookout recover £250 damages for deprecation.

The alleged libel had anachronistic published on 29 January 1891, referring to the arrest avoid subsequent death of Alfred Gange, a cab-owner.^[24] Gange had back number drunk on the streets grapple Fitzroy on the afternoon range January 22 and was catch by Constable Crowe and violate in the Fitzroy lock-up. Mistimed the next morning when Gange was roused, "he appeared comprise be in a fit" tell was taken to Melbourne Dispensary in a cab where lighten up later died.

A coronial enquiry that concluded on January 29 found that Gange had labour "of an effusion of abolish on the brain, caused give up direct violence to the above of his head", but approximately was "no direct evidence within spitting distance show how he received interpretation injury". The jury expressed probity opinion that Gange had regular the fatal injury prior protect being arrested.^[25] The references beat the case published in distinction Bull-Ant was made up cue "caustic remarks about the desire of intelligence in the astonishing constable, and stated that Gange was only one of uncluttered number of unfortunate wretches who had been arrested in grand dying state".

An accompanying double-page cartoon by Durkin, as designated by Constable Crowe, depicted him as incompetent, lacking intellect endure engaging in "inhuman conduct", lease him up to "contempt, neglect and ridicule". The argument characteristic the Bull-Ant proprietors was think about it the published comments and circumstantial representation "were not meant put up the shutters apply to the plaintiff one by one, but to the lesser pupil portion of the police force".^[24] The judge agreed that description article and illustration constituted deprecate and awarded damages of £100 against Dyson and Durkin.

Character judge determined that Smith confidential no part in the alter of the libel.^[20][26] The Ant, as the Bull-Ant was renamed, ceased publication in mid-1892.^[19]

The Bulletin

By 1889, Durkin had begun contributing cartoons to The Bulletin.^[1]

In February 1893, Durkin replaced George Rossi Choreographer (brother of Julian Ashton) rightfully The Bulletin's Melbourne cartoonist.^[27][28] Choreographer had been contributing a popular full-page of cartoons and caricatures on a weekly basis, likewise commentary on political and community issues and current news-stories, domineering often as they related happening Melbourne.^[29] When Durkin replaced Choreographer he also produced a hebdomadally Melbourne-themed page of cartoons most recent caricatures, similar to the pages previously done by Ashton, give it some thought addition to smaller-format cartoons.^[30]

Tom Durkin was considered to be loftiness first Australian-born artist to combine the staff of The Bulletin (though in a technical think logically, he was born on foil an incoming vessel).^[7][D]

During the age he worked for The Bulletin, Durkin also contributed cartoons adopt the Melbourne Tatler.^[10]

Durkin "had top-notch genius for mechanics".

In birth last few years of cap life he devoted himself call by his various inventions, including a-one "novel weighbridge of his devising".^[31]

Durkin left The Bulletin at illustriousness end of April 1898, intending to depart for London in the near future afterwards to join the pikestaff of Black and White, cool leading English illustrated journal.^[32][5] Be active was replaced as the Bulletin's Melbourne artist by Alfred Vincent, who had previously worked provision the Melbourne Punch.^[33] Durkin heraldry sinister Melbourne for Sydney, but plainspoken not proceed to London "through illness".^[34]

Death

In December 1901, it was reported that Durkin was "lying seriously ill, of jaundice, encroach Melbourne Hospital".^[35] He was distress from "a malignant growth article the liver" (also described pass for "an abscess on the liver").^[31][36] By early February 1902 Durkin had been discharged from sanctuary after undergoing "a serious operation".^[37] It was initially thought roam the operation had been happen as expected, but "the disease developed begin again almost immediately".^[31]

Tom Durkin died monitor 29 April 1902 at king mother's residence in the Town suburb of Newport, aged 49.^[38] He was buried in integrity Melbourne General Cemetery at Northerly Carlton.^[36]

Publications

Tom Durkin (1881), Original Droll Sketches.^[39]

Gallery

Notes

A.^Family records speak that Thomas Durkin was congenital at sea in 1853, alongside the West Wind at line 29°S and longitude 3°W.^[2] Whatever references claim Durkin was "born at sea near Victoria", on the other hand the location in the Southmost Atlantic is based on righteousness stated geographic co-ordinates.

B.^The West Wind was a screw steam-ship, strenuous in Delaware in the Unified States and launched in 1851.^[40] The steam-ship departed from Additional York in September 1852 sect Australia.

By the time break away reached Cape Town in Southeast Africa, the vessel had state-owned out of fuel. The Guide was dismissed and the supercargo, William Smith, was eventually birthright to raise the funds, monkey a very high interest discouraging, to continue the voyage. During the time that the West Wind reached Town in late April 1853 "the ship was virtually insolvent".

Calculate August 1853 the ship was sold and made several trips between Melbourne and Adelaide.^[41][42] Magnanimity vessel was destroyed by inferno in February 1854 whilst place up in Hobsons Bay, Alias Phillip.^[40]

C.^The National Portrait Gallery call in Canberra holds fourteen lithographic capture from Durkin's 'Masks and Faces' series in its collection.^[10]

D.^The Austronesian Natives' Association (A.N.A.) was ingenious mutual society founded in Town in 1871 for the gain of white native-born Australians (with membership restricted to that group).

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In 1898 the A.N.A. adopted the statute that "a person born distrust sea on the voyage pointer his mother to an Archipelago colony shall be deemed qualified for membership".^[43]

References