WILKIE, Leslie Andrew (1879-1935)

artist

was born at Melbourne, on 27 June 1879. He was the son of David Wilkie and a grand-nephew of Sir David Wilkie. He was educated at Brunswick College and in 1896 entered the national gallery school at Melbourne under L. Bernard Hall (q.v.). He came first into notice in 1902 when he showed some very promising work at the Victorian Artists' Society exhibition. He went to Europe in 1904 for further study, and after his return to Australia was appointed acting master of the drawing school at Melbourne while F. McCubbin (q.v.) was away on leave. He was elected a member of the council of the Victorian Artists' Society, and after the foundation of the Australian Art Association was its honorary secretary for three years. In September 1926 he was appointed curator of the art gallery of South Australia at Adelaide and proved himself a most efficient and painstaking officer. He died at Adelaide on 4 September 1935. He married Nani Tunnock, who died in 1930, and was survived by a daughter.

Wilkie was modest and retiring and never gave the impression of being in robust health. He was a good draughtsman and there were beautiful passages in his work, but though a competent painter he scarcely fulfilled his early promise. He was at his best as a portrait painter. Examples of his work are in the national galleries at Adelaide and Sydney, and he is also represented in the Australian war museum and the Commonwealth collection at Canberra.

The Herald, Melbourne, 13 November 1920; The Advertiser, Adelaide, 5 September 1935; Art in Australia, seventh No.; W. Moore, The Story of Australian Art; personal knowledge.