W. Lister Lister

Who was W. Lister Lister?

William Lister Lister was an Australian painter who won the Wynne Prize seven times.

He was born in Manly, a suburb of Sydney. At the age of eight he moved with his parents to Yorkshire, England, spent a year in France and finally Glasgow, Scotland, where he studied mechanical engineering at the College of Science and Arts and at the Fairfield Engineering Works. There he joined the St Mungo Art Club, exhibiting at the Royal Scottish Academy at the age of seventeen.

After serving four years at sea as a ship's engineer, he settled in London, where he began painting professionally as well as teaching. He returned to Sydney in 1888 where he began producing the seascapes and coastal scenes for which he is best known.

He joined the Art Society, and remained with that organization through its many upheavals, exhibiting from 1899.

In 1898 he exhibited successfully at an Exhibition of Australian Art at the Grafton Galleries, London.

In 1900 he was appointed a trustee of the National Gallery of New South Wales and served as vice-president from 1919–43.

He was a regular exhibitor at Anthony Hordern's art gallery from 1919–40. Margaret Preston cited him as an early influence.