Hans Heysen and Nora Heysen are Australia’s most well-known father-daughter artistic duo. Professor Speck explores how this dynamic motivated her interest in the Heysen letters to each other written from the time Nora moved to London in 1934 until Hans Heysen died in 1968. During that time Nora Heysen won the Archibald Prize, was appointed an official war artist, fell in love with a married man, Robert Black, with whom she lived with and eventually married, relocated to Sydney, and travelled extensively to the Pacific. Hans Heysen was knighted, sat on the board of the National Art Gallery of South Australia and was well connected to leading figures in the Australian art world. The letters take readers into these events, life at The Cedars and Sallie Heysen’s role there, and the art itself.

This free public lecture was part of the History Trust of South Australia's Talking History series. For upcoming events visit: history.sa.gov.au/whats-on/events/