Name

Harold Abbott

Other names

Abbott, Harold Frederick.

Culture

Australian

Gender

Male

Birth date

14 June 1906

Birth place

Strathfield, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia View on map Close map

Death date

8 June 1986

Death Place

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia View on map Close map

Movements

England 1931-33

Occupations

Art teacher | Artist (painter) | Printmaker | Set designer

Summary

Worked: Australia (NSW). Linocuts

NGA IRN

16643

Context

Australia

Address

• Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Biography

Initially apprenticed and employed at The State Studio (commercial art studio) in Sydney, Harold Abbott studied painting at the Sydney Art School under Julian Ashton. This was from 1922 until 1931. In 1931 he won the Society of Artists Travelling Scholarship and spent from 1931 until 1933 studying at the Royal Academy in London, while in London he produced several linocuts from which a small number of prints were pulled.

On his return to Sydney in 1934 he worked as a freelance artist and taught art part-time at Knox Grammar School and at Scots College, here he taught linocuts to his students and may have produced a few himself. In 1940 he married fellow artist Guenda Bainton in Sydney.

From 1941 until 1946 he served with the Australian Army, the last two years as an Official War Artist. Following his war service he spent 1947 as a part-time art teacher at East Sydney Technical College then in 1948 was appointed as a full time teacher, later taking over as Head of the National Art School (ESTC) and State Supervisor of Art, a position he held until 1970.

In 1947 he produced a linocut of Coogee then in 1952 a linocut of some beach sports, both were exhibited with the Society of Artists. He assisted Guenda with a few screenprints, and over the years did quite a few linocut christmas cards for their friends. Harold also liked to cover books and folders etc that he considered ugly, and to that end he prepared many small linocut blocks and printed patterned cover papers, these were often one-offs thus not editioned. His total print out put is unknown.

[Gregory Heath and Roger Butler, Australian Artist-Printmakers 1870-1970. Canberra, 19 December 2025. Information based in part on Gregory Heath’s, notes of interview with Guenda Abbott, June 1988.]

Last Updated

18 Dec 2025