Ruth Graham Robertson

1923 - 2010  (87 years)

• Name	Ruth Graham Robertson
  Born	1923	Lithgow, NSW, Australia
  Gender	Female
  Residence	1954	Wollstonecraft, NSW, Australia
  	16 Milner Cresent
  Residence	1980	Wollstonecraft, NSW, Australia
  	3d / 74 Shirley Street
  Residence	1989	Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
  	Attended family reunion Tamworth 1989
  Died	20 Apr 2010	Canberra, ACT, Australia
  	THE National Gallery of Australia has acquired Hans Heysen's Morning light (1913), through the bequest of Ruth Graham Robertson. Ms Robertson's bequest was made to assist the development of the national art collection, specifically Australian art, through acquisitions of works by important late 19th and early 20th century Australian artists such as Hans Heysen, Arthur Streeton, Sydney Long and James W.R Linton. The other acquisitions from the bequest to date include Hans Heysen's "Arkaba country" (1929 -34) and "A winter's day on the Swan" (c. 1910) oil painting by WA artist James W.R Linton. "We are indebted to Ms Robertson for the wonderful legacy of almost $3 million that she has left the National Gallery of Australia," director Ron Radford said. "Her bequest has already enabled us to make significant acquisitions such as Heysen's ?Morning light' and will continue to do so in the future. "It is extraordinary that the National Gallery of Australia held no major iconic gum tree oil painting by Heysen from the Federation period prior to the acquisition of this work. "Moreover, it is hard to believe given the popularity and familiarity of Heysen's work, that Heysen in fact painted only a handful of major oils (seven in all) on the subject of the gum during the Federation period (1900-1914)." Ruth Graham Robertson, born at Lithgow NSW in 1923, demonstrated a love of the arts in their many forms, from a very early age. This love was fostered by her maternal grandfather Robert Dennis, who was among the last of the Lithographic artists and illuminators trained at the Technical College in Ultimo. "She never lost her appreciation of the works of Australian landscape artists, such as Hans Heysen, and would often remark on the beauty of a tree and how it would look painted," her nephew Rob Meller said, "She particularly wanted to honour the memory and legacy of her parents and her maternal grandparents in her will and for this reason chose to leave a bequest to the Gallery that would enable important Australian paintings such as these works to be acquired by the Gallery."
  Person ID	I406	Kelly / Grayer
  Last Modified	25 Aug 2016

  
  

  Father	Edwin Clive Robertson,   b. 9 Jun 1897, Armidale, NSW, Australia ,   d. 8 Oct 1981, Concord, NSW, Australia  (Age 84 years)
  Mother	Leila Jeanne Dennis,   b. 25 Jul 1896,   d. 27 Aug 1970, Wollstonecraft, NSW, Australia  (Age 74 years)
  Married	1921	Balmain, NSW, Australia
  Notes	Leila and Edwin had 2 daughters and a son.
  Photos		Robertson wedding photo
  		Robertsons Lithgow house 44 Hassans Wall Road, Lithgow, NSW
  Family ID	F154	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Elizabeth Dennis (nee Taylor), Leila Robertson (nee Dennis) and Ruth Robertson 1923
  		Ada Windle Original in Mitchell Library titled "Ada or Mary Windle". This is a very hurried photo I took when I asked for viewing of the items donated by Ruth Robertson.
  		Mary Ann Windle Original in Mitchell Library titled "Ada or Mary Windle". Donated to the Mitchell Library by Ruth Robertson.

  
  

  Histories

  Note from Elizabeth Dennis transcribed by Ruth Robertson