THE RATHBONE COLLECTION

The Rathbone collection is owned by the Shire of Campaspe. Taken as a whole, it is a remarkable visual memoir. The artist, George Martinmay Rathbone, lived and worked for most of his life in the region around Echuca as did his parents, and his maternal and paternal grandparents (the latter settling at St Germains in1874). The paintings include depictions of the earlier days of Echuca town and district, the river trade and pioneer life, which have helped shape the unique character of Echuca and its river port heritage so popular with tourists today. Given that George Rathbone was a teacher for nearly half a century, it is not surprising that the Collection has a great value as an educational tool. The accessible, friendly style and local history subject matter make it an engaging and informative platform for teaching history to both younger and older learners alike.
The collection has artistic significance as a substantial body of works within the Australia naive genre. Artists who make so-called “naive” art are visual story tellers, communicating about subjects from everyday lives, rather than focussing on technical achievement or art world recognition. Nevertheless, within a very short period late in his life, George Rathbone achieved some status as a minor but established name withing the naive genre, through the development of a signature style, exhibitions at reputed venues, media references and publication of his work. His work is augmented by the Collection’s clear, well-documented provenance and good physical condition and is still traded by dealers and auction houses today.