Mary Cockburn Mercer

Mary Stuart Cockburn Mercer (1882—1963) is generally considered to have been an Australian artist, though she was born in Scotland, educated in England and lived much of her life in Italy and France. Her father had been a large landholder in Victoria, but a family tragedy sent he and his wife back to Scotland. When he died there in 1889, he left a great wealth which afforded Mary the freedom to live her life spontaneously. She travelled extensively and took art lessons with the American watercolourist, Alexander Charles Robinson in Brussels, and fell in love.
Following the War, the pair lived and painted in Paris where they rubbed shoulders with some of the most influential artists of the day; even becoming a patron to some. Mary also trained at the Academe Julian and exhibited at the Paris Salon and Societe des Artistes Independent.
Mercer spoke French, Italian and English like a native, and was said to have worked for Cubist artist and teacher, Andre Lhote, translating his course notes for foreign students.
In 1925, Mary built a large house high on the cliffs overlooking the ocean at Cassis. There, the pair became part of a close-knit expat community though in 1932, she fell in love with German photographer, Adolf Hans Weichmann, with whom she began travelling. During the Second World War, Mercer sheltered in Australia, joining the George Bell School and exhibiting alongside Melbourne’s Contemporary artists.
Her ‘glittering’ parties were legendary and were attended by close friends Ian Fairweather, Janet Cumbrae Stewart, and her neighbours, David Strachan and Wolfgang Cardamatis. She became a mentor and teacher to Lina Bryans, Leonard Crawford, and New Zealand artist Colin McCahon, who recalled that when he knew Mary she was old, had a broken leg, and no money. Mercer left Australia at the end of 1951 and returned to her beloved France to resume her life in Cassis, but her damaged leg hampered her ability to paint. She died on the 14th December 1963 following a short period of illness. It was fortuitous for Mercer that she came to Australia as it was here that her position in art history was sealed and her legacy remains. An extensive catalogue of Mercer’s work can be downloaded below.