Rebecca Blake on Ethel Carrick’s Christmas Day on Manly Beach (1913)

Free
Duration: 45 mins including Q&A

Join Rebecca Blake, Curatorial Assistant, Australian Art, for a talk focused on Ethel Carrick’s iconic painting, Christmas Day on Manly Beach, 1913.

The summer of 1913 was a pivotal moment in the life and artistic career of Ethel Carrick. That season she moved to the beach suburbs of Cremorne and Manly, driven by a desire to paint, and experience the liberated lifestyle of the Australian surfer girl.

Working en plein air with her palette and camp chair, Carrick captured the beauty and spirit of Australia’s burgeoning beach culture during the early twentieth century.

In this talk, Rebecca will focus on the changing social rules for women during this period and how the vibrant beauty of Sydney’s beaches provided inspiration for some of Carrick’s most significant works.

Friday Art Talks is a free weekly program. Hear from artists, curators and experts on the works in our collection and exhibition program.

This talk is part of a series focused on the major exhibitions Ethel Carrick and Anne Dangar on display in Gallery 12 until 27 Apr 2025.

We are committed to making our collections, exhibitions, building and events accessible to all visitors. A range of services are available to facilitate your visit to the Gallery.

Information to help you plan your visit is available on the National Gallery website.

This program is wheelchair accessible. Mobility aids, such as motorised scooters, wheelchairs, and wheelie walkers are available on request from the information desk. Call +61 2 6240 6411 or email information@nga.gov.au to book a motorised scooter in advance.

Headphones will be available for attendees who are hard of hearing.