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7 Reasons You Should Fall In Love With Philip Wolfhagen

Philip Wolfhagen is a widely recognised Australian artist who is known as one of the country s leading modern painters. His paintings are mostly inspired by the natural landscape of northern Tasmania, particularly the ruggedly beautiful countryside and the unique Australian weather. The bulk of his career has centred on developing an interest in art which he felt was missing in his early days. He joined the National Trust for the Arts when he was only 18. He went on to become one of the most successful and innovative artists of the post-war age.

One of the biggest influences on his work was the state of Tasmania which has long been one of Australia s most well-known national parks. He spent considerable time in Launceston studying the local flora and fauna and this gave him a vivid knowledge of what he wanted to achieve with his art. He was particularly impressed by the contrast between the spectacular scenery of the region and its idyllic, pastoral idylls.

Philip Wolfhagen's aim in creating his paintings was to portray the splendour and glory of life in Australia's interior plateau. He spent considerable time travelling around Launceston and was particularly impressed by the quiet and serene atmosphere of the Shire area. He believed that the combination of bushlands and mountain ranges in Launceston lent the region a distinct feel that was all its own. He was particularly taken by the quietness of the atmosphere, the unspoilt character of the Shire town and by the relative absence of modern amenities such as shop fittings and public utilities. These influences laid the basis for much of his Australian contemporary landscape painting.

One of the images that resonated around Philip Wolfhagen's mind was the image of the Beech Trees in their autumnal splendor. The tall central pole in the middle of the painting, which is dominated by a beech tree, dominates the whole canvas and is beautifully contrasted with the smooth greens of the surrounding canyons. The serene, blue-green atmosphere that pervades the whole work is excellently depicted by the smooth, creamy texture of the honeycombed beech boughs. It is this image which forms the basis of the painting called Beeswax.

Although Wolfhagen spent considerable time travelling around Launceston and other parts of western australia, he was particularly influenced by the views offered by the native mountebankers. He had a particular affinity for the Shire Countryside, which he visited around Easter in his career. These rural scenes, based on true-life examples of daily life at the time, formed the basis for the very many paintings that he completed while he was away. Philip Wolfhagen's interest in the Australian outback continued on to include his famous painting, The Lady from Slangi; this is a large oil painting which depicts the Lady sitting on a rock, surrounded by wildflowers.

The Lady from Slangi is a unique portrait of the artist's friend, the painterly Salama Place. In her salamanca place painting, Wolfhagen produced another world-famous painting, The Lady from Salamanca Place, which is based on the true-life events that took place between Wolfhagen and Salama Place in their home country of Australia. Wolfhagen was a keen traveler and he was deeply impressed by the way in which the pastoralists in Australia managed to survive and even thrive during the Great Depression. He spent considerable time researching the lives of these pioneers.

Another major painting which has an extremely strong Australian connection is The Weekend Australian, also by Philip Wolfhagen. This is a massive, life-size oil painting of the historic Sydney Opera House, complete with all its interior details. After seeing The Weekend Australian, it is very likely that all of us would want to own a copy for ourselves! The Weekend Australian was designed by Philip Wolfhagen during a period when he was travelling through Australia, visiting key places in the South East, particularly Sydney. It depicts the incredible harbour bridge as well as the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens, and was one of the most important paintings of the time which helped him to define the overall style of his career.

There are several other large-scale paintings which would have a similarly profound effect on people if they were viewed in the right light by an experienced collector. These would include such Melbourne attractions as the National Park, The Domain, The Zoo, The Botanic Gardens, Flinders Street, Melbourne Square, and so many others. The most popular area for collecting art by Philip Wolfhagen occurs between Carlton and Hobart, where there are many cafes, restaurants and galleries which are regularly displaying his artwork. He is probably best known for his Waterfall Landscape paintings, which feature waterfalls in every major city around the world.

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Philip Wolfhagen: Little hinterland no 5 :: Wynne Prize 2057 Art – Philip Wolfhagen | Philip Wolfhagen