Colin Colahan
Colin Cuthbert Orr Colahan (12 February 1897 – 6 June 1987) was an Australian painter and sculptor. Colahan was born in Woodend, Victoria, in 1897, the second youngest of the six children of Surgeon-Major-General John Joseph Aloysius Colahan (1836–1918), and Eliza McDowell Colahan (1859–1899), née Orr. He was educated at Xavier College in Melbourne.
Also recorded as Colin Cuthbert Orr Colahan
Colin Colahan
- Name
- Colin Cuthbert Orr Colahan
- Born
- 12 February 1897
- Birthplace
- Woodend, Victoria, Australia
- Died
- 6 June 1987
- Place of death
- Ventimiglia, Italy
- Education
- Xavier College, Melbourne
- Occupation
- * Painter
- Nationality
- Australia
- Languages
- English
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Colin Cuthbert Orr Colahan (12 February 1897 – 6 June 1987) was an Australian painter and sculptor. Colahan was born in Woodend, Victoria, in 1897, the second youngest of the six children of Surgeon-Major-General John Joseph Aloysius Colahan (1836–1918), and Eliza McDowell Colahan (1859–1899), née Orr. He was educated at Xavier College in Melbourne.
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Biography
Biography
After a few years at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School, Colahan joined Max Meldrum's school of painting and subsequently became a key figure of the Australian tonalist movement. In 1937 he joined and exhibited with Robert Menzies' Australian Academy of Art. Colahan created the 'Sirena' fountain for the Italian town of Bordighera. His sculpture of the head of Victor Smorgon was bought by the National Gallery of Victoria. His work can be found in the collections of the state galleries of Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. He was appointed an Australian official war artist in 1942. A portrait in oil of F. Matthias Alexander (of "Alexander technique" fame), painted by Colahan to commemorate the subject's 80th birthday, was shown on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow programme in May 2013, when it was still in the possession of the son of the wife of Alexander's nephew. Colahan died in Ventimiglia in 1989.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Colin Cuthbert Orr Colahan • Born — 12 February 1897 • Birthplace — Woodend, Victoria, Australia • Died — 6 June 1987 • Place of death — Ventimiglia, Italy • Education — Xavier College, Melbourne • Occupation — * Painter • Sculptor
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Woodend.
Birth place
Ventimiglia.
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reference work
- “Colin Colahan”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
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authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q5144997: Colin Colahan
General reference · Wikidata
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Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Kinnane, Garry. Colin Cuthbert Orr Colahan (1897–1987). 17. 2007.
- 2.Australian Academy of Art. Australian Academy of Art First Exhibition, April 8th-29th, Sydney : Catalogue. 1938.
- 3.F.M. Alexander portrait. 23. 19 May 2013.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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