159


oil on board
signed and titled verso: Ben Quilty / Docklands 2
20 x 25cm

PROVENANCE
Maunsell Wickes at Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney
The Jan Courtin & Marshall Harris Collection

EXHIBITED
New Paintings, Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney, 2002
The Jan Courtin and Marshall Harris Collection

© Courtesy of the artist

COLLECTION ESSAY
The Jan Courtin and Marshall Harris Collection (Lots 159-163)

Lots 159 - 163 showcases the eclectic taste of Jan Courtin and Marshall Harris, who championed emerging artists as both gallery owners and patrons of the arts. Originally Melbournians, Jan and Marshall lived in London and briefly in Brisbane before relocating to Sydney to pursue Jan's chief obsession - AFL football. Jan was a devoted supporter of the Sydney Swans from childhood and grew in dedication through the years. Her regular contributions to the club and commitment to the game earned her the Female Fan of the Year award from the AFL Fans Association in 2016. It is a fitting homage ‘for a woman who had uprooted her life to Sydney to be closer to her beloved Swans'. 1 Her rivalling passions for the Swans and art were near-equal contests, although she emphatically insisted, ‘It'd be the Swans before the art.' 2

Jan and Marshall pursued their mutual passion for Australian artists with an energetic spirit. When the couple moved to Sydney (to be closer to the Swans), they also set up a gallery on Glenmore Road in Paddington, living in the apartment above. Harris Courtin Gallery operated from 1999 for just over a decade. In the gallery's infancy, they exhibited works by Polly Courtin, Jan's sister and gradually established a reputation for championing fringe and emerging local artists. 'They cared for and involved [their artists], and above all, they were extremely professional and generous as gallery directors. Thus, the stable of artists trusted Jan and Marshall completely.' 3 Together they amassed an extensive personal collection, contributing to the arts district in a way that reflected their genuine support and enthusiasm for local Australian artists.

In 2019, Jan and Marshall relocated to Melbourne, settling into a light-filled, contemporary home in Albert Park. Paintings and sculptures filled every square inch of the house in a cacophony of colour. Amongst the patchwork salon hung two dynamic works by Ben Quilty painted in 2002 as the artist's career was beginning to erupt; Lot X and XX ennoble West Melbourne's monolithic docklands in blazing colours delightfully contained to pocket-sized canvases. Also hanging amidst the collection were two early abstract paintings by Guy Maestri, who exhibited with Harris Courtin Gallery in the early 2000s at the threshold of an esteemed career. In their private collection, as much as their gallery, Jan and Marshall perpetually advocated for emerging artists.

Sadly, Jan passed away in August 2022, followed by Marshall in October of the same year.
The family now offers the second instalment of the couple's beloved collection to the market, paying tribute to their legacy as unwavering supporters of contemporary Australian art.

Footnotes:
1. Vale Jan Courtin, Published Aug 10, 2022; https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1194386/vale-jan-courtin
2. Alice Bradley, The red & white home of Swan for life Jan Courtin, 14 Aug 2017; https://www.realestate.com.au/lifestyle/the-red-white-home-of-swan-for-life-jan-courtin/
3. Statement from Julie Cattlin, the sister of Jan Courtin.

oil on board
signed and titled verso: Ben Quilty / Docklands 2
20 x 25cm

PROVENANCE
Maunsell Wickes at Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney
The Jan Courtin & Marshall Harris Collection

EXHIBITED
New Paintings, Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney, 2002
The Jan Courtin and Marshall Harris Collection

© Courtesy of the artist

COLLECTION ESSAY
The Jan Courtin and Marshall Harris Collection (Lots 159-163)

Lots 159 - 163 showcases the eclectic taste of Jan Courtin and Marshall Harris, who championed emerging artists as both gallery owners and patrons of the arts. Originally Melbournians, Jan and Marshall lived in London and briefly in Brisbane before relocating to Sydney to pursue Jan's chief obsession - AFL football. Jan was a devoted supporter of the Sydney Swans from childhood and grew in dedication through the years. Her regular contributions to the club and commitment to the game earned her the Female Fan of the Year award from the AFL Fans Association in 2016. It is a fitting homage ‘for a woman who had uprooted her life to Sydney to be closer to her beloved Swans'. 1 Her rivalling passions for the Swans and art were near-equal contests, although she emphatically insisted, ‘It'd be the Swans before the art.' 2

Jan and Marshall pursued their mutual passion for Australian artists with an energetic spirit. When the couple moved to Sydney (to be closer to the Swans), they also set up a gallery on Glenmore Road in Paddington, living in the apartment above. Harris Courtin Gallery operated from 1999 for just over a decade. In the gallery's infancy, they exhibited works by Polly Courtin, Jan's sister and gradually established a reputation for championing fringe and emerging local artists. 'They cared for and involved [their artists], and above all, they were extremely professional and generous as gallery directors. Thus, the stable of artists trusted Jan and Marshall completely.' 3 Together they amassed an extensive personal collection, contributing to the arts district in a way that reflected their genuine support and enthusiasm for local Australian artists.

In 2019, Jan and Marshall relocated to Melbourne, settling into a light-filled, contemporary home in Albert Park. Paintings and sculptures filled every square inch of the house in a cacophony of colour. Amongst the patchwork salon hung two dynamic works by Ben Quilty painted in 2002 as the artist's career was beginning to erupt; Lot X and XX ennoble West Melbourne's monolithic docklands in blazing colours delightfully contained to pocket-sized canvases. Also hanging amidst the collection were two early abstract paintings by Guy Maestri, who exhibited with Harris Courtin Gallery in the early 2000s at the threshold of an esteemed career. In their private collection, as much as their gallery, Jan and Marshall perpetually advocated for emerging artists.

Sadly, Jan passed away in August 2022, followed by Marshall in October of the same year.
The family now offers the second instalment of the couple's beloved collection to the market, paying tribute to their legacy as unwavering supporters of contemporary Australian art.

Footnotes:
1. Vale Jan Courtin, Published Aug 10, 2022; https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1194386/vale-jan-courtin
2. Alice Bradley, The red & white home of Swan for life Jan Courtin, 14 Aug 2017; https://www.realestate.com.au/lifestyle/the-red-white-home-of-swan-for-life-jan-courtin/
3. Statement from Julie Cattlin, the sister of Jan Courtin.

  • Condition: * All statements by Gibson’s in the catalogue entry for the property or in the condition report, or made orally or in writing elsewhere, are statements of opinion and are not to be relied upon as statements of fact. Such statements do not constitute a representation, warranty or assumption of liability by Gibson’s of any kind. References in the catalogue entry to the condition report to damage or restoration are for guidance only and should be evaluated by personal inspection by the bidder or a knowledgeable representative. The absence of such a reference does not imply that an item is free from defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Estimates of the selling price should not be relied on as a statement that this is the price at which the item will sell or its value for any other purpose. Neither Gibson’s nor The Seller is responsible for any errors or omissions in the catalogue or any supplemental material.

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April 21, 2024 12:00 PM AEST
Armadale, Australia

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