A Life of Many Facets
Born on Christmas Day 1901 in Newtown, Australia, Alfred Noel Joseph Rubie lived a life defined by a restless, multifaceted energy. He was far more than a single-minded creator; he moved through the streets of Sydney as a painter, a portrait and commercial photographer, a playwright, and even a pharmacy proprietor. The son of Annie Maria and James Joseph Rubie, his early years in New South Wales provided the foundation for a career that would span several decades of Australian social and commercial change.
His professional path was rarely linear. By 1929, he began exhibiting his paintings, yet simultaneously navigated the practicalities of commerce. He established a commercial art business at 10 Bligh Street, Corydon, alongside Jack E. Turner in late 1930. His interests frequently intersected with industry; he ventured into cosmetic manufacturing with Jessica Harcourt in 1934 and later managed the Wynyard Pharmacy on the ramp of Wynyard Station. This ability to balance the aesthetic with the entrepreneurial marked his presence in Sydney from the 1920s through to the 1960s.
The Modernist Eye
In the realm of fine art, Rubie aligned himself with the early modernist movement in Australia. His painting style shared a kinship with the works of Grace Cossington Smith, Roy De Maistre, and Roland Wakelin. While his standing was modest, his contributions to the local scene were marked by a clear engagement with contemporary trends. He was a finalist for the Archibald Prize with his portrait of Walter Collett Shoppee, a work now held in the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
His photographic work brought a similar modernist sensibility to the lens. Moving away from the soft focus of Pictorialism, Rubie embraced New Realism and montage techniques. He became a sought-after figure for society portraits, providing stylish images for publications such as The Home and The Bulletin. His subjects were often the notable figures of his era:
- Performers: Members of the Ballets Russes de Colonel de Basil and the Bodenwieser Ballet.
- Media Personalities: Radio announcer Margaret Doyle and journalist Robin Dalton.
- Cultural Figures: Soprano Kirsten Flagstad and dancer Eileen Kramer.
A Legacy in Print and Image
Rubie’s influence extended into the very fabric of Sydney's commercial landscape. Through his various enterprises, such as Rubie, Noel, Pty., Ltd., he directed industrial and commercial photography that captured the changing face of the city. His studio at 2 Belmore Rd., Randwick, operated with partner Hazel Holland from 1936, further cementing his role as a visual chronicler of the mid-century period.
Though his many businesses eventually dissolved or changed hands, the physical traces of his vision remain in public collections. His paintings and photographs are preserved within the National Portrait Gallery, The National Library of Australia, the State Library of Victoria, and the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. He left behind a body of work that reflects the shifting textures of Australian modernism, captured through both the brush and the camera.
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