THE largest collection of Australian surrealism ever assembled has been given to the National Gallery despite its owner, Ray Wilson, being a trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW Foundation.

At the time he was yet to inform the NSW Gallery or its director, Edmund Capon, of his decision. The works, worth $6.6 million, fill a major gap in the National Gallery's collection. Boyds and Nolans are represented alongside the first Australian surrealist painting, James Gleeson's The Attitude of Lightning Towards a Lady-Mountain.

The $6.6 million acquisition is in two parts: the NGA has paid $2.5 million of the total value, the rest is the gift of Agapitos and Mr Wilson, who lives in Sydney.

Mr Wilson, who spent 17 years building the collection with his late partner, James Agapitos, said too much love and intellectual rigour had been invested in the collection to see it split up. He had been in discussion with the gallery for more than two years.

The NGA director Ron Radford yesterday described the gift-purchase as "a very generous act". The collection covers the period 1925-55 and features works by many of Australia's great artists, including Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, Albert Tucker, Robert Klippel, Joy Hester, Jeffrey Smart, Russell Drysdale and Danila Vassilieff.

It also includes works by Australia's greatest living surrealist, James Gleeson - who has only limited representation at the Canberra gallery. In the 1970s, Gleeson was on the NGA's curatorial team, then later joined the board. He had strong views regarding perceptions of conflict of interest and discouraged the gallery from buying his works.

Although Agapitos and Mr Wilson were long-time supporters of other Australian galleries, the NGA's strong international and local surrealist representation seemed the most obvious home for their collection.

Photo: National Gallery of Australia

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