Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum is based in Faulconbridge of the Blue Mountains, Australia. The property is a stone cottage on a 42 acre (170,000 m²) block of land which was originally owned by the Australian artist and writer Norman Lindsay. The property also contains some smaller buildings including two used as an oil painting studio and an etching studio.

The house and surrounding land was first purchased by Lindsay and his wife, Rose, in 1913 for 500 pounds from Francis Foy who built the property in 1900 as a half-way house. The estate was repaired and transformed over the years by Lindsay, adding classical colonnades, fountains, paths and sculptures. In the late 50s Lindsay began converting his house into a gallery to accompany all his paintings, drawings, etchings, woodcuts and ship models made throughout his life. In 1967 he approached the National Trust of Australia with the idea they acquire the property to be used as a gallery.

Lindsay remained living on the property until his death in 1969. The oil painting studio has been preserved as it was at the time of his death with unfinished oils and materials. The property was purchased by the National Trust in December 1970 for $50,000 (AUD). In 1994 the property was used to film the movie Sirens.

Currently, Norman Lindsay's house and property is a popular tourist attraction in the Blue Mountains, not only for the art work on display but also for the beautiful gardens and bushwalk. Also on the property is the award winning Lindsay's Cafe, attached to Norman Lindsays old etching studio.