John Richard Howley “Animal Phantasy 1” c-1955

Artist: John Richard Howley  b-1931- 2020

Medium: Oil on used Masonite

Title: Animal Phantasy 1, Beast or later called Fantasy dog by Howley

Size: 64 x 78 1/2 cm

Signed & dated: On the rear in John’s hand writing, John Howley  Melbourne, C/o G Mora 9 Collins st,  N.F.S. , in Mirka’s hand writing “please return to Mirka 8 Rankin’s lane Melbourne” (suspected to be written at the time when it was loaned  to Mark Strizic to be photographed for the Art and Australia article 1971 or on loan to the Johnstone Gallery QLD 1955 ) & also on the original  frame (retained) John Howley 1955

Reference: Art and Australia Volume 8 Number 4 March 1971 P 332 full page black & white illustration, article  written by John Olsen on John Howley

Provenance: Group four exhibition ( Clifton Pugh, Lawrence Daws, Donald Laycock & John Howley ) 15 March 1955 Victorian artists society Melbourne, The Johnstone Gallery QLD, Four new Melbourne artists August 1955 , Collection of Mirka Mora 1955 – 27 August 2018 -Leonard Joel Lot 554 3/3/2019,  private collection Melbourne

Comments: Animal Phantasy 1, Beast or Fantasy dog sold to the Mora’s in 1955, John recalled that this was the very first sale that he made & was a extremely proud time in his career,  we also have had it re-framed in a manner that exposes all the information on the rear.

Acknowledgements : Many thanks to Mr John Howley , QLD state library & also the Victorian State library for their assistance  in locating catalogue information.