The Tonalists
Interpretive signage along the Ways of Seeing theme
The Tonalists
The Tonalists were a group of artists painting during the 1920s and 1930s under the instruction and influence of artist and teacher Max Meldrum, who lived for a time in Olinda.
Tonalists, like the Impressionists, focused on the light and shade. Tonalists, however, used more muted colours and painted reflective scenes that often looked ‘misty’ in appearance, encouraged by Meldrum to look beyond the surface appearance of the subject.
One of the most distinctive art movements in Australia, Tonalism has also been an under-appreciated movement until recent years. Students of Meldrum included Clarice Beckett and Mary (Polly) Hurry. Polly and her artist husband John Farmer lived at Miyako in Olinda, in a home built for them by Justus Jorgensen (who also created the artist colony Montsalvat in Eltham). Miyako became a hub for many artists, including students of Tonalism or ‘Meldrumites’ as they were also known.