Around 1909, Australian artist Norman Lindsay is pictured with his wife and muse, Rose Soady, in a photograph taken by his brother, Lionel Lindsay, inside Norman’s Bond Street studio in Sydney. The image offers a rare glimpse into the private world of one of Australia’s most influential early 20th-century artists.
Norman Lindsay (1879–1969) and Rose Lindsay (née Soady, 1885–1978) were a defining couple of Australia’s bohemian art scene, whose 67-year partnership was as professionally productive as it was personally unconventional.
Rose Soady was introduced to Norman in 1902 by artist Julian Ashton. She quickly became his principal model and muse, appearing in many of his most famous, often controversial, sensual paintings. After a long affair during Norman’s first marriage, they married in 1920. Rose chronicled their life in her 1967 memoir, Model Wife: My Life with Norman Lindsay.
Beyond modeling, Rose was a highly skilled printmaker who hand-printed most of Norman’s famous etchings. She also acted as his business manager and archivist, fiercely protecting his work and financial interests.
In 1912, the couple moved to a property in Springwood, Blue Mountains, which became a hub for artists and writers like Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson. After Rose’s death in 1978, the Springwood property was acquired by the National Trust of Australia and now operates as the Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum.
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