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Collection

A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge.
  • Image 1 of 11, A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge
  • Image 2 of 11, A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge
  • Image 3 of 11, A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge
  • Image 4 of 11, A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge
  • +7
    Image 5 of 11, A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge
  • Image 6 of 11, A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge
  • Image 7 of 11, A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge
  • Image 8 of 11, A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge
  • Image 9 of 11, A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge
  • Image 10 of 11, A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge
  • Image 11 of 11, A6896-10 Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia,. Click to enlarge

“Mermaid in underwater cave” doll tableau

This doll tableau features an underwater cave in which a ceramic mermaid appears with a plastic skeleton and treasure chest. It was made as a craft hobby in 1965 and is one of ten tableaux in the Museum’s collection put together by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson (1898-1978), from the Sydney suburb of Cammeray, between 1956 and 1976.

Born in Wales, Rene moved to Australia when she was 16 and had a background in antique dealing. After her children grew up she began to create these tableaux. She modelled ...

Summary

Object No.

A6896-10

Object Statement

Doll tableau, 'Mermaid in underwater cave', fabric / plastic / shells, designed and made by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965 and first prize ribbon from Sydney Royal Easter Show, velvet, awarded to Euronwy (Rene) Wilson, Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia, 1965

Physical Description

This doll tableau comprises an underwater cave with reclining ceramic mermaid with long peal necklace surrounded by marine props including a ceramic starfish and turtle, plastic skeleton and jewel-filled treasure chest. The tableau is made of various materials including beadwork, shells, plastic and pipe cleaners. The tableau is mounted on particle board. It has a blue ribbon "Royal Easter Show 1965 First".

Short URL

https://ma.as/187822

Dimensions

Height

160 mm

Width

245 mm

Depth

120 mm

Production

Notes

Mrs Euronwy (Rene) Wilson made this doll tableau featuring a mermaid as a craft hobby in about 1965 at her Sydney home in Cammeray. Rene was born Euronwy Hughes, in Llanrwst, North Wales, in 1898, the daughter of Hugh Robert Hughes and Mary Hughes. She lived in Rhodesia and New York before moving to Australia as a child in 1912. She came from an artistic family. Her brother Robert (Bob) Evans Hughes (1896-1970) was a landscape painter who took up art after being injured while serving with the AIF in World War I and returned to Wales to paint.

In Australia Rene married a Mr Way then in 1952 Thomas Wright Wilson, a stonemason by trade, who later collected snuff boxes and pipes. Rene was a self employed dealer in antiques and after her three daughters had grown up she began developing her hobby of making doll tableaux in 1956 using her craft, sewing, match work and other crafts.

History

Notes

The mermaid doll tableau was made in 1965 by Euronwy (Rene) Wilson (1898-1978). This tableau won first prize in the Arts and Crafts section of the Sydney Royal Easter Show in 1965. After her death the tableau was donated to the Museum in 1978 by Rene's daughter, Gay Hawkins of Beauty Point, New South Wales.

Cite this Object

Harvard

"Mermaid in underwater cave" doll tableau 2019, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 11 December 2019, <https://ma.as/187822>

Wikipedia

{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/187822 |title="Mermaid in underwater cave" doll tableau |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=11 December 2019 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}
This object is currently on display in The Wiggles Exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum.
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