Douglas Baulch

Who was Douglas Baulch?

Douglas Baulch was one of Australia's talented and naturally gifted artists from the Prahran Technical College but less known as he was very reserved.

Baulch was born at Malvern, Victoria, Australia, being the only son and youngest of three children of Ernest Stanley Baulch. He is commonly known as Douglas Baulch, the same name used on all his works. Before Douglas' first birthday his father was sent to fight in France during World War 1, only to return hospitalised for the rest of his life being completely incapacitated til his death 8 years later. This had a traumatic and emotional effect on Douglas as a young child watching and only knowing his father from his death bed. His father eventually died in 1926 when Douglas was only 9 years old.

Still living at Malvern this created both severe financial and emotional stress upon him and the family. Being forced to take on a more responsible role for the household at a very early age. Even while young he had a love for art spending all his spare time drawing at home, which his mother Ann and sisters Doris and Gloria encouraged.

He commenced training at the Prahran Technical College in 1931. He was strongly influenced by his tutor Tom Carter who recognised his natural talent as an exceptional impressionist with strong artistic ability . Tom introduced him to William Dargie with whom he had a long standing friendship . Douglas took a strong interest in the true representation, depth and contrast of the Australian landscape capturing the light, hues and tones unique to Australia's environment. He further expanded the representation of the Australian society and its movement to an urbanised nation, as represented in a number of his cityscapes.