The Life and Art of Sir Ernest Daryl Lindsay
Born in Creswick, Australia, Daryl Lindsay was a member of a distinguished family of artists. Before his military service, he worked as a jackaroo near Collarenebri. During World War I, he served with the AIF in France. While serving as a Lieutenant and the official medical artist at a specialist military hospital in Sidcup, Kent, he produced an extensive set of images for Sir Harold Gillies, contributing to the advancement of military reconstructive surgery.
His formal studies took place at the Slade School of Art in London. Throughout his career, he achieved moderate success with his paintings of white flowers. He also became fascinated by the ballet during the first tour of the Monte Carlo Russian Ballet to Australia, sketching the dancers during rehearsals and performances. This passion led to the publication of his book, Back stage with the Covent Garden Russian ballet.
Curatorship and Legacy
Lindsay’s influence on the Australian art world was profound. In 1940, he began a tenure at the National Gallery of Victoria, serving as director from 1942 to 1956. He also served as a member of the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board in 1953 and was knighted in 1956 for his services to art. He was married to Joan Lindsay, who later wrote Picnic at Hanging Rock.
The couple resided at Mulberry Hill in Langwarrin South before the Great Depression necessitated a move to Bacchus Marsh. He passed away in Mornington, Victoria, on Christmas Day, 1976.
