During the infamous challenge to Australian artist William Dobell being awarded the 1943 Archibald Prize ( in 1944) with a portrait of a sickly painter mate , Joshua Smith , with whom he had served in a camouflage unit during the war, lawyer Garfield Barwick, then a King's Counsel, appeared for the plaintiffs along with Dr Frank Louat, who claimed the picture was a caricature, not a portrait; it took two years to wrap up the case in Dobell's favour .
An exhibition of French and European art in 1939. displaying work of modernists , sponsored by Rupert's dad, Sir Keith Murdoch , had shocked much of the establishment .
There were some jolly moments during the marathon hearing when the learned judge and lawyers asked probing questions about modern art, abstract paintings .
For example , Mr Justice Roper , in the NSW Supreme Court , asked if he held up a loaf of sugar bread and declared it was his mistress, would that be so ? Whatever turns you on , me old darling , Rumpole would undoubtedly have replied in a stage whisper , with advice not to leave any incriminating crumbs in his inner sanctum robing room .
This strange questioning was prompted by that odd fellow Picasso who painted a pile of packing cases and said it was his father .
Sharp as a tack , Barwick , KC, got into the fun and asked an expert witness : "If I had a certain reaction to my mother in law , could I paint her portrait as a coil of barbed wire ?" As expected , loud laughter ensued...Haw ! Haw ! You don't need a second opinion to know that anyone who likens his wife's mother to cutting, rusty barbed wire could be charged with defamation and punched up the nostril on Mother's Day.
It was revealed during the hearing that an overseas painter chap , Gainsborough, had taken a liberty with a female sitter , Mrs Siddons , greatly reducing the length of her long nose in a portrait , so it seemed no woman was safe from these bohemian type artists .
It was revealed during the hearing that an overseas painter chap , Gainsborough, had taken a liberty with a female sitter , Mrs Siddons , greatly reducing the length of her long nose in a portrait , so it seemed no woman was safe from these bohemian type artists .
Barwick became a Liberal politician , the federal Attorney-General , during which time he made life difficult for Hansard reporters as he rambled on . This did not stop him from becoming the Chief Justice of Australia (1964-81) and he clearly did not think there was anything wrong in advising the Governor-General , tipsy Sir John Kerr , in the sacking of PM Gough Whitlam .
The present day High Court building in Canberra is known as Barwick's Mausoleum , a fitting memorial , where liberated ma in laws can fling themselves into the associated fountain , with gay abandon .
Dobell won the Archibald three times and the electorate of Dobell is named after him .
Dobell won the Archibald three times and the electorate of Dobell is named after him .
