Early Bellingen landscape artists

The New South Wales mid north coast town of Bellingen and district is today home to many engaged in artistic endeavours. Below is the district's best-known picture Bellingen pastoral painted in 1937 by renowned Australian landscape painter Elioth Gruner (1882-1939).

Elioth Gruner was one of Australia's most popular painters in the 1920s and ’30s. He is often referred to as ‘the last of the Australian Impressionists’ and was awarded the Wynne Prize seven times. The Wynne has been judged and awarded annually since 1897 by the trustees of the New South Wales Art Gallery for the best landscape painting of Australian scenery in oils or water colours, or the best figure sculpture by an Australian artist. Gruner's work is represented especially in the NSW Art Gallery and is in the art galleries of all Australian mainland States and several regional galleries.

Ernest John Mantova (1882-1952) is recognised as Bellingen's first resident professional artist. He was first listed as a Bellingen resident in the 1938 Electoral Roll living in Mary Street with the occupation of signwriter and remained a resident until his death on 13 March 1952. Since 1971 an E. J. Mantova Memorial Art Competition has been held in Bellingen in conjunction with the annual Agricultural Society Show. The below four pictures were commissioned by a local businessman in the 1940s.

‘Bellingen - western approach’ c1945
by Ernest Mantova - oil  27 H x 35 W

The sealed section of the road from Dorrigo then ended only a short distance farther west. Long gone the poplars and the shady jacaranda that strewed blossoms upon bishop and swaggie alike. Now forest hiding the once Masonic Lodge plays host to different rituals. Across the road upon the crowning ridge long gone the ‘Coronation Hall’ but elsewhere in the premier street (at least to year 2000) rarely has sounded the demolition hammer. On the left down by the river, defying transience and testimony to the tranquility, like questing witches in dark flights flying foxes still swirl aloft.

‘Road to Dorrigo’ c1945
by Ernest Mantova - oil  27 H x 35 W

The road to Dorrigo (Waterfall Way) - when the bitumen ended before the first hill.

‘Road to Bowraville’ c1945
by Ernest Mantova - oil  27 H x 35 W

Arguably at his best in Road to Bowraville, in a more leisurely age as the afternoon shadows fell near the Bellingen hospital, Mantova depicted the way ahead.

‘Bellinger pastoral’ c1945
by Ernest Mantova - oil 27 H x 35 W

By means of an approaching storm Mantova rendered this pastoral scene from the lower Bellinger River valley more dramatic than Gruner's depiction of a similar scene featured at the top of this page.