Bert Levy

David Syme (the age) had Bert sketch a series of sketches of 8 senior politicians including the Prime Minister and celebrities in 1902 for his Leader newspapers group. The final sketch was of ‘colourful racing identities’ at the Melbourne Cup if the first week of November 1902. It would be interesting to know who the characters are.

These 9 images are all in the State Library Collection. I’ll post the Politicians next.

Readers enjoyed seeing Bert’s watercolour on show over in New Zealand.

Here’s one of his commercial drawings probably done before he left for the USA for J.C Williamson.

JOSEF LEBOVIC GALLERY, Paddington. https://www.joseflebovicgallery.com/catalogues.php

Thanks to Phil Lipshut for sending the below image.

Btw – Phil tells me the poster price tag was $1650. No longer on sale.

Titled ‘Home Sweet Home’ this watercolour by Bert Levy is in The Sarjeant Gallery’s is in Whanganui in New Zealand. (North Island)

The gallery’s nationally significant collection comprises over 8,000 artworks and archival items spanning four centuries of European and New Zealand art history.

The Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui was founded through the generosity of one man to his home city. In 1912, Henry Sarjeant left a huge sum of money – the equivalent of over $70 million in today’s terms – to establish the gallery “as a means of inspiration for ourselves and those who come after us”. The Gallery opened in 1919 and is recognised as one of the country’s most important heritage buildings.

HOME SWEET HOME by Bert Levy (gallery detail below)

Measurements

394 x 290mm

Media

pen and ink on paper

Description

Pen and ink drawing of two men in bowler hats standing on a street with buildings and people behind them. One is playing a clarinet and the other is holding a trumpet.

Credit Line

Collection of the Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui. Donated in 1918 by The Bulletin, Sydney.

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Be interesting to know how and why the water colour made it to New Zealand. It certainly looks like a USA city scene. Bert returned home to Australia in 1911 and then not again till 1923… any thoughts ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Miller_(Australian_athlete)

Professor William Miller was the only athlete to hold Australian championships for boxing, fencing, wrestling and weight-lifting. Miller became proprietor of the Melbourne Gymnasium, and instructor to some the leading Melbourne schools. Miller went to America in 1903 and became a Physical Education Instructor for the New York Police Department.

He was living with his daughter in Baltimore in 1917 when Bert Levy caught up with him. He died in Baltimore in the 1930s. Lovely coincidence in the last paragraph of Bert’s letter home about Miller.

Three important references below to President Woodrow Wilson attending Bert’s shows. The first is during the crucial and controversial period of USA troops being deployed in WW1 in February 1918. As an aside, the first major action the US troops faced in the war was under Monash at Battle of Le Hammel (France) on the July 4th, 1918. Even then, they weren’t meant to take part. Interesting story. In football parlance, you could say they entered the war deep into the final quarter !!!

https://vwma.org.au/explore/campaigns/33

Post war and at various victory celebrations…

Daily News (New York) 22 Jul 1923, Sunday Page 115

Below is a longer description of Bert’s address. Perhaps this address by Bert deserves to be acknowledged by many more Australians. Bert is not only a great entertainer, he is obviously a great orator. Try to read through to the end.

As you know by now, Bert was ahead of his time in many aspects. Here he is using his invention (the fore runner to the overhead projector) to give the live audience the election results as they came in.

1920 Election – Two term Woodrow Wilson (Democrat) could not stand again, and it was the Republican Warren G. Harding who triumphed in 1920 becoming the 29th US President. He died in office in 1923. Wikipedia states Harding has traditionally been ranked as one of the worst presidents.

After a week off, Bert Levy returns ……

here is a little story he told in 1911 on his first visit back to Australia in 7 years