John Russell

John Russell was an Australian painter who moved in the heart of the European avant-garde. Born in Sydney in 1858, he traveled to Europe and became friends with some of the great figures of modern art, including Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Auguste Rodin. He settled for years on the rugged island of Belle-Île off the French coast, painting its cliffs and sea in brilliant color.

Working in an Impressionist and then more vivid style, he was ahead of his time, and he even shared color advice with the young Henri Matisse. Because he lived abroad and sold little, he was long overlooked in his home country. Russell is now celebrated as a lost Australian Impressionist and a genuine link to the founders of modern art.