Ruby Winckler
Australian artist (1886–1974)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ruby Winckler (25 August 1886 – 29 July 1974) was an Australian artist.
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Ruby Winckler | |
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| Born | 25 August 1886 |
| Died | 29 July 1974 (aged 87) |
| Education | Julian Ashton Art School |
| Known for | Book illustration |
| Notable work | Who's Who in the Land of Nod |
Biography
Winckler was born in Sydney 1886 to Captain Augustus Robinson Winckler and Jessie Louisa Winckler (née Green).[1] She had a brother George born in 1889.[2] Her father held a mining license at Kiandra[3][4] and declared bankruptcy multiple times.[5][6] Her brother served in the 2nd Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force in World War I where he was wounded.[7]
Ruby studied art at the Julian Ashton School[8] and with Sydney Long.[9] She was friends with the Lindsay family and her art style was very similar to that of Ruby Lindsay.[10] The Winckler family lived in Manly and when she wasn't working on her art Ruby was known to be a keen swimmer.[11]
Her first exhibition was with the Society of Artists in 1907.[12] She exhibited alongside female artists Alice Muskett and Ethel Stephens.[13] She also designed a cover for The Lone Hand.[14] The following year she exhibited some bookplates[15] and in 1909 her pictures were commended for their "ambitious and promising effort."[16]
Her work was already showing its originality from other female artists of the time with Sketch for a Frieze featuring the satyr from Greek mythology[17] and fairy tale illustrations.[18] She exhibited six large watercolours depicting the adventures of Cinderella.[19] Winckler was also associated with the Society of Women Painters,[20] as well as doing china painting.[21] A large mural she created for the Society of Women Painters exhibition in 1913 was unfortunately damaged by fire[22] and had a huge hole burned at the centre.[23] She also showed with the Queensland Art Society that year.[24]
In 1913 Winckler travelled to America[1] where she was commissioned by a Boston firm to illustrate The Arabian nights' entertainments.[25] After the author's son disliked some of her pictures causing them to be left out, Ruby remarked at she'd "rather illustrate the works of dead authors - they don't give any trouble."[26] Despite this, her drawings were described as "finely drawn and sympathetic representations of scenes in the great story book."[27]
She was the first of the Australian-born women who became children's book illustrators, with Edith Alsop's The Cobweb Ladder[28] and Ida Rentoul Outhwaite's Elves and Fairies[29] not coming out until 1916. She was also the first to reach an international audience, with Outhwaite only achieving this in 1921.[10] She would also illustrate Kisington Town[30] and Who's Who in the Land of Nod.[31]
Winckler returned to Sydney in 1916 where she continued exhibiting her fantasy illustrations.[32] She contributed to the Australian Soldiers Gift Book edited by Ethel Turner and Bertram Stevens.[33][34] She was commissioned for a proposed illustrated version of Homer's Odyssey though this was never realised outside of exhibition.[35][36] These drawings are now held in a private collection.[37] Her last known exhibition was with the Society of Artists in 1918.[38]
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Ruby Winckler's papers are held by the State Library of New South Wales,[39] as well as select artworks.[40]