Paddington, Sydney

Cedric Emanuel (1906-1995) was one of Australia's most productive and versatile of artists. He has major importance as a visual historian. He sketched and painted the rapidly changing scenes of Australia from the outback to the inner suburbs of Sydney for nearly 70 years.

Born in New Zealandm his family moved to Sydney in 1910. While still at school (which he left at 14) he started studying art at the Royal Art Society under Dattilo Rubbo and Julian Ashton. At 19 he commenced working as a commercial artist at the State Studios, working for the first year on trial and without pay. In his spare time continued sketching, painting and etching. His first exhibition held in 1938 was very successful. In the same year he won the prize for etching in the NSW Sesquicentenary Art Competition.

He served in the RAAF in New Guineau during World War II as an Air Defence Officer in charge of camouflage, and as an unofficial war artist.

He received the Order of Australia in 1981.

His work appears in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia, the National Library of Australia, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the National Gallery of Victoria.