• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: AWE0596

Heysen, Nora

(1911 – 2003) Lieutenant Colonel Kathleen Best
  • Born 11 January, 1911, Hahndorf South Australia Australia
  • Died 30 December, 2003, Sydney New South Wales Australia
  • Occupation Artist

Summary

The daughter of South Australian landscape painter Sir Hans Heysen, Nora Heysen was the first woman to win the Archibald portrait prize (1938) and the first women to be appointed as an Australian war artist on 12 October 1943. During her service Heysen completed over 170 works of art. Following the war she travelled to England and in January 1953 married Dr Robert Black, who was to become the Head of Tropical Medicine at the University of Sydney. On 26 January 1998 Nora Heysen was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her service to art as a painter of portraits and still life subjects.

Events

  • 2001 - 2001

    Inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women

Published resources

  • Resource
  • Resource Section
  • Book
    • You'll be sorry!, Howard, Ann, 1990
    • Nora Heysen, Klepac, Lou, 1989
    • Nora Heysen, Klepac, Lou, 2000
  • Newspaper Article
    • In 1938, the first woman to win the Archibald Prize, Pearce, Barry, 2004
    • A cautious gaze, Meagher, David, 2000
    • A remarkable artist, Barron, Sonia, 2000
    • Visions of life in belated focus, O'Brien, Philip, 2000
    • Painting of the week no. 10: Portrait Study (1933), Nora Heysen (born 1911), Lancashire, Rebecca, 2002
    • Nora Heysen's back to paint memory lane, McDonald, Patrick, 2003
    • Noted artist Nora Heysen dies at 92, Safe, Georgina, 2003
    • Painter made her own mark, Klepac, Lou, 2004
    • Her voyage was lit by a father's fire, 2004
    • Trailblazer, Williams, Nadine, 2004
  • Sound recording
    • [Conversation with Nora Heysen], Heysen, Nora, 1911-2003., 1965
  • Thesis
    • Hidden from view [manuscript] : Nora Heysen twentieth century Australian artist, Nockels, Kate., 1997
  • Journal Article
    • Nora Heysen 1911-2003, Groom, Linda, 2004

Archival resources

  • National Library of Australia, Manuscript Collection
    • Papers of Nora Heysen, 1913-2003 [manuscript]
  • National Library of Australia
    • [Biographical cuttings on Nora Heysen, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals]
  • National Library of Australia, Oral History and Folklore Collection
    • Nora Heysen interviewed by Denise Hickey in Denise Hickey collection [sound recording]
    • Nora Heysen interviewed by Heather Rusden [sound recording]

Digital resources

Related entries


  • Related Women
    • Parker, Catherine (Katie) Langloh (1856 - 1940)