Brett Whiteley (1932-1992)

Whiteley arrived in London in November 1960. His inclusion in Recent Australian Painting, the seminal exhibition organised by Bryan Robertson at the Whitechapel Gallery in 1961, resulted in Robert Hughes reporting that 'Whiteley almost monopolised the English critics attention'. He became the youngest artist to be included in a national collection at the age of 22, following the Tate's purchase of one of his works from the show. These successes paved the way for his first show at Matthiesen Gallery in 1962, in which this work was exhibited. In a letter to Brett's sister, his father wrote of the exhibition, 'Young Sam [Whiteley] is held in high esteem by everybody in the London art hierarchy and is certainly a great credit to his family.'