In July 1978, Sidney Nolan met with Australian publisher Peter Bellew to discuss the creation of a series of drawings for a new edition of Marcus Clarke’s novel, For the Term of His Natural Life. First published as a serial in The Australian Journal (1870-72) and later as a book (1874), Clarke’s gothic tale tells of a man wrongly accused of murder who is transported to Australia in 1827. Over the following month, Nolan produced 31 crayon pastel drawings to illustrate the hellish conditions experienced by the characters in Clarke’s story, going beyond illustration into a darker territory of the artist’s own imagination.
Read more:
Nolan's views on convicts and Australian identity.
Audio experience:
Play the MP3s below to hear moments from Marcus Clarke's novel which correspond to 23 of the works in Nolan's series. Narrated by Christopher Carroll and recorded by Tim Austin at ArtSound FM Canberra.
Listeners are advised that this recording contains descriptions of suicide and acts of violence that listeners may find distressing.
Prologue - Part I: Sir Richard and Lady Devine
Sidney Nolan, 'Sir Richard and Lady Devine', 1978
Prologue - Part II: The Death of Lord Bellasis
Sidney Nolan, 'The Death of Lord Bellasis', 1978
03: Book I - The Sea, 1827
Chapter I - The Prison Ship, and Chapter V - The Barracoon
Sidney Nolan, 'The Prison Ship Malabar', 1978
04: Book I - The Sea, 1827
Chapter I - The Prison Ship
Sidney Nolan, 'Rufus Dawes and Sarah Purfoy' (ascribed title), 1978
05: Book I - The Sea, 1827
Chapter VI - The Fate of the Hydaspes
Sidney Nolan, 'The Burning of the Hydaspes', 1978
06: Book I - The Sea, 1827
Chapter X - Eight Bells
Sidney Nolan, 'The Mutiny', 1978
07: Book I - The Sea, 1827
Chapter X - Eight Bells
Sidney Nolan, 'Maurice Frere', 1978
08: Book II - Macquarie Harbour, 1833
Chapter II - The Solitary of Hell's Gates
Sidney Nolan, 'Prisoners and Warders' (ascribed title), 1978
09: Book II - Macquarie Harbour, 1833
Chapter II - The Solitary of Hell's Gates
Sidney Nolan, 'The Solitary Man Was Rufus Dawes', 1978
10: Book II - Macquarie Harbour, 1833
Chapter III - A Social Evening
Sidney Nolan, 'Convict and "cat" with Mrs Fraser' (ascribed title), 1978
11: Book II - Macquarie Harbour, 1833
Chapter III - A Social Evening
Sidney Nolan, 'Flogging', 1978
12: Book III - Port Arthur, 1838
Chapter XIV - Mr North's Indisposition
Sidney Nolan, 'Drunken Parson', 1978
13: Book III - Port Arthur, 1838
Chapter XV - One Hundred Lashes
Sidney Nolan, 'The Triangle', 1978
14: Book III - Port Arthur, 1838
Chapter XV - One Hundred Lashes
Sidney Nolan, 'Skeleton, Flogged Figure and Triangle' (ascribed title), 1978
15: Book III - Port Arthur, 1838
Chapter XXI - A Visit of Inspection
Sidney Nolan, 'The Suicide of Two Convict Boys', 1978
16: Book III - Port Arthur, 1838
Chapter XXVII - The Valley of the Shadow of Death
Sidney Nolan, 'Escaped Convicts in Bush' (ascribed title), 1978
17: Book III - Port Arthur, 1838
Chapter XXVII - The Valley of the Shadow of Death
Sidney Nolan, 'Giant Convict Eating Others', 1978
18: Book III - Port Arthur, 1838
Chapter XXVII - The Valley of the Shadow of Death
Sidney Nolan, 'Gabbett the Cannibal', 1978
19: Book IV - Norfolk Island, 1846
Chapter VIII - Extracted from the Diary of the Reverend James North
Sidney Nolan, 'The Bridle', 1978
20: Book IV - Norfolk Island, 1846
Chapter VII - Breaking a Man's Spirit, and Chapter IX - The Longest Straw
Sidney Nolan, 'The Rose', 1978
21: Book IV - Norfolk Island, 1846
Chapter XIII - Mr North Speaks
Sidney Nolan, 'The Torture of Rufus Dawes', 1978
22: Book IV - Norfolk Island, 1846
Chapter IX - The Longest Straw
Sidney Nolan, 'Dance of Death' (ascribed title), 1978
23: Book IV - Norfolk Island, 1846
Chapter XVII - The Cyclone
and Epilogue
Sidney Nolan, 'Epilogue', 1978
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