Maestri: Influences from Italy to Australia at the Manly Art Gallery & Museum
AN INSIGHT INTO THE HISTORY OF ART AND THE REGION’S VIBRANT CULTURAL LANDSCAPE (Mayor Sue Heins)
Drawing on MAG&M’s rich collection, alongside key works from the National Art School, Intesa Sanpaolo, and private collections, Maestri traces Antonio Dattilo-Rubbo’s (1870–1955) artistic journey from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Naples to pioneering art teacher and leading figure in Australian modernism.
Known as a colossal teacher of drawing, Dattilo-Rubbo’s teaching life lasted 43 years with many notable Australian artists passing through his studio, including Grace Cossington Smith, Margaret Coen, Frank Hinder, Roy de Maistre, Arthur Murch, John Olsen, Alison Rehfisch, and Roland Wakelin. In turn, these students have influenced generations of artists to follow through teaching, mentoring, and friendship.
Maestri, the Italian word for teacher, draws attention to the power of teaching through the lens of 19th-century Neapolitan and 20th-century Australian art, connecting the techniques, attitudes, and ideas passed between teachers, students, and contemporaries, across continents and centuries, shaping Australia’s art history.
This exhibition is a collaboration between MAG&M, the Consulate General of Italy in Sydney, and the Italian Cultural Institute, Sydney, with support from the Anita & Luca Belgiorno-Nettis Foundation, Avion International, MAG&M Society, and the Rubbo family.
PROGRAM
Maestri: Influences from Italy to Australia
Friday 19 September – Sunday 30 November
Manly Art Gallery & Museum
West Esplanade Reserve, Manly
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Free entry
EXHIBITION
Opening: Friday 19 September, 6-8pm
Running: Friday 19 September – Sunday 30 November
Opened by Gianluca Rubagotti, Consul General, Consulate General of Italy in Sydney.
RSVP
MAG&M MEMBERS & VOLUNTEERS’ PREVIEW
Friday 19 September, 10 – 11am
RSVP
MAESTRI: ATELIER & APERITIVO
Friday 7 November, 5.30 – 8 pm
Enjoy a lively evening of sketching, music, and Italian food and wine at MAG&M as part of Maestri: Influences from Italy to Australia exhibition.
Free event: BYO art materials
