Walter WITHERS   1854  - 1914

Walter Withers was involved with the ‘Heidelberg School’ in the period of the first artists camps at Eaglemont. Withers set up ‘Charterisville’ and stayed in the Heidelberg/Eltham area long after the other members of the ‘school’ had gone. It is clear that Withers occupied a somewhat unique position. In 1889-90 at a time when Frederick McCubbin and the others were still painting in a conventional style, Withers was experimenting with a brave and confident impressionistic style. He was probably the first artist to paint major works using techniques of impasto. In reviewing the output of the Heidelberg artists it becomes apparent that there are more impressionistic paintings executed by Withers than by any other Australian artist.

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