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Josephine Muntz Adams

The art and legacy of an Australian pioneer. 1862-1949.
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Outback Australia
Josephine’s fearless spirit took her across the world and into the
‘waste, howling wilderness’ of the West Australian goldfields.
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The female gaze
A quiet gaze, a deeper story – revealing women’s roles in history through art.
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‘Mrs Muntz Adams has every right to a permanent position in Australian painting.’

Clive Turnbull, The Herald (1943)1

Signature collection

A selection of Josephine’s finest and most celebrated work, showcasing her exceptional skill in portraiture and landscapes.

Stormy Day, Geelong by Josephine Muntz Adams.

Stormy Day, Geelong

A fine example of impasto, a painting technique that involves applying thick layers of paint to create a textured or 3D effect.

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Josephine's story

Josephine Muntz Adams’ life and career spanned continents, artistic movements and significant milestones in Australian art history.

From her early training in Melbourne to studying in Paris and England, she built a reputation as a distinguished portraitist and teacher.

She was the first Australian artist to have a work purchased for the Queensland Art Gallery and contributed to the art scenes in both Melbourne and Brisbane.

Life and legacy

This timeline traces her journey – her studies, exhibitions and achievements – highlighting a legacy that continues to be recognised in public collections and exhibitions today.

‘Josephine Muntz Adams is among the most adventurous and expressive portraitists of her generation.’

Juliet Peers, Art historian, curator, artist and writer (1992)2

Stories behind artwork

Blog: From palette to portrait

Take a deeper dive into the stories behind some of Josephine Muntz Adams’ artworks and life.

Dangerously Modern: Australian women artists in Europe 1890–1940
June 11, 2025
A bold new exhibition featuring two of Josephine Muntz Adams' best-loved works shines a spotlight on the pioneering female artists who reshaped the story of modern art. Dangerously Modern is…
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Self Portrait, by Josephine Muntz Adams.
Rediscovering Josephine Muntz Adams: New website celebrates a pioneering Australian artist
March 30, 2025
A new website celebrating the life and work of Josephine Muntz Adams – one of Australia’s leading portrait artists of her generation – has officially launched. In an era when…
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Lady in White, by Josephine Muntz Adams.
The School of Paris: Australian artists abroad
March 10, 2025
A charming exhibition at the Bendigo Art Gallery explores the influence of Paris on generations of Australian painters, including Josephine Muntz Adams. Paris has long been the beating heart of…
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‘The paintings of Mrs J. M. Muntz Adams are the negation of cynicism and of everything meretricious or ugly.’

Sir Keith Murdoch, Founder of the Murdoch media empire
3

Commissioned portraits

Josephine Muntz Adams distinguished herself as a leading portraitist of her generation. At the height of her career, she could command up to £150 for a commissioned portrait – a considerable amount for the period.