Here is a small selection of prints by two brothers of quite different temperaments. They were born in Creswick, two of several talented children of the local doctor. Two other brothers, Percy and Daryl, also pursued successful careers in the visual arts. Their sister Ruby was a gifted artist, and married Will Dyson, the renowned etcher and satirist. Daryl's wife Joan achieved fame as a writer, particularly for her novel Picnic at Hanging Rock.
Lionel (1874-1961) was the eldest, and the most conservative. He also gained the greatest reputation, being regarded in his time as one of the most outstanding practitioners of the "British School" of etching. His interest lay mostly in landscape and architecture, the principal subjects favoured by the "British School" and he was strongly attracted to the Australian bush and to the exotic culture of Spain. He remained throughout his career faithful to traditional art and high standards of craftsmanship, and this led him into direct conflict with modernists, whom he saw as charlatans and rip-off merchants.
Norman (1879-1969) was much more radical than the rest of his family. In the prudish times of the earlier 20th century he scandalized the community with his views on religion and morality. His main interests were sailing ships, good times and naked women, which has always caused him to be regarded with suspicion and even outrage. His artistic range and power of expression were not as great as Lionel's, though technically he was just as good a craftsman as his brother. His choice of subject matter has however always ensured him a high profile.
Norman and Lionel taught themselves in the art and techniques of making prints. In the late 19th century there were very few facilities for printmaking in Australia, and the Lindsays had to improvise, making their own tools, mixing their own inks and utilizing an old laundry mangle as a press. This basic experience made them very conscious of the need for good workmanship and skill as the foundation of art.
The brothers, after living for some time in Melbourne, moved to Sydney and went to work for The Bulletin. Subsequently they drifted apart, and after a quarrel hardly spoke to each other for the next 30 years. Each pursued his own course, following different sirens, to different ends. Yet both achieved fame and importance, and a permanent place in Australian art.
