Sainthill, Loudon

Loudon Sainthill (1918-1969), artist and stage designer, was born in Hobart.  He read widely, painted and drew, and found his way into theatres and concert halls, where he saw Pavlova, heard (Dame) Nellie Melba, and absorbed performances of Ibsen and Chekhov. In 1932-33 he studied drawing and general design at the Applied Art School. By 1935 Sainthill, eking out a living by painting murals in a surrealist style reminiscent of Alcimboldo. Sainthill's interest in theatre design was fired by the Australian tours of Colonel de Basil's Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. An exhibition of his paintings of the dancers and sets led to an invitation to return to London. Here (Sir) Rex Nan Kivell organized an exhibition of his studies at Redfern Gallery, Bond Street, where 50 of the 52 pictures on show sold. An exhibition of his paintings in London in 1973 helped to raise money for a scholarship (named after him) for young Australian designers to study abroad. His work is held in the National Gallery of Australia, in a number of State and regional collections, and in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.