Nora Heysen
Born in Hahndorf in 1911, Nora Heysen was the fourth child of Hans and Sallie Heysen and called The Cedars home from 1912 to 1934. Displaying extraordinary artistic talent from an early age, she studied at the School of Fine Arts in North Adelaide from 1926 to 1930.
By 1933, Nora’s work was already recognised by major galleries, with acquisitions by the National Gallery of South Australia, the Queensland Art Gallery, the National Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the Howard Hinton Collection. Her first solo exhibition in Adelaide was a sell-out success, earning her the Melrose Prize for Portraiture.
From 1934 to 1937, Nora refined her skills in London and upon returning to Australia she briefly stayed again at The Cedars before relocating to Sydney. In 1938, Nora made history as the first woman to win the Archibald Prize with her portrait of Madame Elink Schuurman. In 1943, she became Australia’s first female war artist, completing over 160 works now held in the Australian War Memorial collection. After her discharge in 1946, she spent several months at The Cedars.
While in New Guinea, Nora met Dr. Robert Black, a tropical disease specialist, and moved to England in 1947 to be near him. They married in Sydney in 1953 and settled at The Chalet in Hunter’s Hill, where Nora continued to live until her death in 2003.
Nora’s work focused on self-portraits, portraits, and still lifes, particularly floral pieces. She remains highly regarded, with her art represented in all major public collections, numerous provincial galleries, and private collections. Her remarkable achievements were recognized with the Australia Council’s Award for Achievement in the Arts in 1993 and the Order of Australia (AM) in 1998, cementing her place as one of Australia’s most celebrated artists.
