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Roy de Maistre was a major proponent of Modernism in Australia in the early 20th century, seen as the first artist to create abstract paintings on the continent. In the period immediately following the First World War he developed work based on ‘colour-music’, creating works that matched music with abstract form and colour.
De Maistre moved to London in 1930 where he became associated a with a circle of queer artists, including novelist Patrick White and the painter Francis Bacon, with whom he shared an exhibition at the celebrated Beaux Arts Gallery in 1930. De Maistre made a number of paintings of Bacon's studio, one of which recently sold at Christie's for a record price. De Maistre introduced Bacon to surrealism and the use of photography as a source material, as well as the heightened colour seen in Bacon’s early work, most noticeably the use of red in his ‘The Crucifixion, 1933’.
The artist's mature style combined a post-Cubist style with religiously informed subject matter. Roman Catholicism became an important aspect of his life and work, and he was influenced in this spiritual path by his aunt and patron Lady Camilla Keogh, who featured in a number of his works two of which are now in the collection of Leeds Art Gallery. The most brilliant example of this late style is his 'The Stations of the Cross' at Westminster Cathedral made in 1954 and his triptychs for St Aidan's Church, East Acton, which also features an altarpiece by Graham Sutherland. Other religious scenes are now in public collections including ‘Pieta, 1950’ (Tate) and ‘The Crucifixion, 1942-44’ (Leicester Museum & Art Gallery).
Roy de Maistre CBE, Australian/British 1894-1968 - The Death of Camilla, c.1948; oil on canvas
De Maistre exhibited widely throughout his career, including at Bernheim-Jeune, Paris in 1932 and The Mayor Gallery, London in 1934. Later in life, a retrospective for his work was held at The Whitechapel Gallery, London in 1960, with a preface to the catalogue written by legendary curator Bryan Robertson.
Untitled, Still Life, Roy De Maistre CBE, Australian 1894 1968, watercolour
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