Russell Drysdale

Happy Birthday Russell Drysdale!! Born in Sussex, England in 1912, Russell Drysdale relocated to Australia with his family when he was 11 years old. He began studying to become an artist at age 20 in Melbourne as well as traveling to Europe. Poor eyesight did not deter Drysdale, even though he was nearly blind in one eye. His style became stark landscapes with spare, gangly figures. The Cricketers is one example of his eerie depictions of Australian outback with three boys playing against the apparently vacant, deserted buildings. It has been described as the “most important and famous Australian artwork of the 20th century.”