Kathleen 'Kate' Hattam (1923–2004), stylesetter and art collector, was advertising manager at Georges department store in Melbourne, where she was at one time said to be the highest-paid woman in Australia. She met Hal Hattam, doctor, keen amateur painter and patron of the arts, in England during the war. In Melbourne, the couple became friends with a group of inner-city intellectuals and aesthetes, and entertained and encouraged many emerging artists who have since become household names. At Kate’s behest, artists including John Perceval, Arthur Boyd and Leonard French designed wrapping paper and greeting cards for Georges. The Hattam family homes in Canterbury and South Yarra housed an unrivalled body of works by artists in their circle and beyond.
Clifton Pugh was a close friend of the Hattams and they championed his work. They went regularly to Pugh's home, Dunmoochin, on weekends, and also saw the Pughs at Shoreham, where each family had a house. This portrait captures Kate's style and determination in Pugh's characteristic elongated forms and bold colour against an abstract background. Pugh recalled that it was rare for him to make portraits in this period, 'but then of course, I knew Kate so well. It was a picture that I wanted to do.'
Purchased 2006
© Shane Pugh
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