Marion Ferrier Jagger (1882–1977)

Untitled Still Life

Oil on Linen on Board

27.5 x 32 cm (frame 42 x 47 cm)

Signed with monogram centre.

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THE GEN

SMALL IN STATURE WITH BIG AMBITIONS

Marion is another of the many talented Australian female artists, from the early half of the twentieth century, that history has since forgotten. Like many talented female artists of the period, Marion’s artistic ability deserved greater acclaim and reward than she received. Trained and influenced by luminaries such as Julian Rossi Ashton and Sydney Long, her artistry was of such a level that she exhibited regularly with the Royal Art Society between the years of 1912 to 1925. Her work was of such repute that she could have 20 paintings in a single exhibition at Hordern’s Gallery in 1921 alongside contemporaries who would go on to achieve great success and recognition. Marion is but one of many amazing Australian artists whose works deserve to be rediscovered and treasured once more. 

Marion Isobel Ferrier is a forgotten Australian impressionist born in Sydney in 1882. She studied drawing and still life painting at the Sydney Technical College and branch schools from 1896 to 1901. Further studies were undertaken at Julian Rossi Ashton’s Sydney Art School between 1919 and 1921. Marion was employed as a Switch Attendant and Notes Sorter in the Postmaster-General's Department from 1902 until her resignation in 1917.

Marion was one of the pioneers of the art colony at Dee Why. Cecil Hartt was the first artist to settle in the area in 1912. He bought some land and lived in a tent until he was able to build a house. Marion settled in Dee Why in 1914 and was the first female artist to do so. She was always ready to welcome other artists to the area and was “regarded as the hostess of the village”. (Daily Telegraph, 26 January 1924, p. 13) James R. Jackson, Hugh McLean, Mick Paul, Jim Emery, Norman Lloyd, L.J. Barnes, George Finey, G.K. Townshend, J. Muir Auld, Bruce Robertson, Lawson Balfour, A. Earlington Rosebray, Frederick Tregear, Maud Sherwood and Roland Wakelin were among the artists who camped, visited or resided at Dee Why. The art critic William Moore wrote in 1924 that: “Suburbia ends and the bush begins at Dee Why. I suppose this is the reason, and also because it is only a little over an hour’s travel to Sydney, that so many artists have settled at this resort on the Pacific coast.” (Daily Telegraph, 26 January 1924, p. 13)

The paintings that Marion exhibited between 1912 and 1921 comprised mainly landscapes and outdoor studies and included: The Bay; Boatshed; Landscape near Manly; Lakeside; Evening Shadows on the Golden Sand; Prawning in the Lake, Dee Why and Fowls. During these years, she exhibited with the Royal Art Society, the Palette Club, the Society of Artists and the Sydney Art School. Twenty of Marion’s paintings were included in the Eleven Australian Women exhibition held at Anthony Hordern’s Gallery in 1921: Moonrise, Long Reef; Farm; Dee Why Beach; The Cottage; A Summer Evening; An Old Home, Hill End; Evening by the Lake; Meditation; Noonday; The Narrawa Hill; Afternoon Sunshine; A Study; Illumination during Prince’s Visit; Fowls Feeding; A Selector’s Homestead; The Coastline near Manly; A Grey Day; Evening; Glimpse of the Lake and Still Life. The other exhibitors were Karna Birmingham, Grace Crowley, Dorrit Black, Anne Dangar, Viola Macmillan Brown, Myra Cocks, Georgina Hughes, Olive Crane, Bell Walker and Alice Creswick. In a review of the exhibition in the Sydney Mail, Marion was described as “A little woman who is ambitious to do big things.” (Sydney Mail, 8 June 1921, p. 25)

Marion married William Jagger in 1922 and they lived at Pacific Parade, Dee Why. It appears that, after her marriage, Marion did not exhibit any paintings until 1937. In January she contributed to an exhibition of works depicting the Blue Mountains held at Katoomba Town Hall. She also exhibited three small flower studies with the Royal Art Society in August. There is no record of Marion exhibiting any paintings after 1937. William died at home, in 1946, at the age of 81. Marion remained in Dee Why until her death in 1977.

A few of Marion’s paintings are held in public collections. Red Camellias is held in the City of Albany art collection. The Northern Beaches Council Library Service holds two paintings of Dee Why. She is also represented in the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

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