• Photo 1
  • Photo 2
  • Photo 3
  • Photo 4
  • Photo 5

Down on his Luck

Frederick Mccubbin

Item Number: 29716

$

Frederick McCubbin's Down on His Luck (1889) is one of the most moving depictions of Australian pioneers' tribulations. This piece, painted during the height of the Heidelberg School movement, which s...

Full Description
Choose your size
Size Guide
Choose your framing option
Choose Guide
  • ✈️ Free Worldwide Shipping & Production Times
    Open

    Total Estimated Delivery: 24–46 Business Days

    Since this is a 100% hand-painted artwork made to order, delivery takes a bit longer than mass-produced prints. Here is the exact breakdown:

    • Processing (14–21 Business Days): Our artists craft and hand-paint your piece. High-quality oil paintings require time for layers to dry properly to ensure they arrive in perfect condition.
    • Shipping Transit: Once your painting passes quality control, it is handed over to our reliable shipping partners.
      • USA, Canada & Europe: 10–20 business days
      • Australia & Rest of World: 15–25 business days

    Customs Note: International orders may be subject to import duties/taxes, which are the buyer's responsibility.

  • 🛡️ 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee & Returns
    Open

    We want your purchase experience to be as easy as possible! You have 30 days after receiving your item to request a return.

    • Standard Artworks: Eligible for return within 30 days (must be new, unused, and in original packaging). For "change of mind" returns, the buyer covers return shipping costs. We do not charge any restocking fees.
    • Damaged or Defective Items: If your art arrives damaged, contact us immediately. We will offer a free replacement or a full refund and cover any return shipping costs.
    • Custom & Personalized Orders: Due to their unique nature, portraits and custom-modified artworks are final sale and cannot be returned unless they arrive damaged.
    • Cancellations: You may cancel your order for free within 24 hours of purchase.

    To start a return, simply contact us at info@tryartwork.com.

  • 🎨 100% Hand-Painted Oil Art
    Open

    This is NOT a print. You are purchasing a genuine, hand-painted oil reproduction created by a skilled artist.

    We use museum-quality canvas and rich oil paints to capture the texture, depth, and soul of the original masterpiece. Every brushstroke is applied by hand, making your artwork truly unique.

Our benefits
  • 100% Hand-Painted Oil
    100% Hand-Painted Oil
  • Free Worldwide Shipping
    Free Worldwide Shipping
  • Museum-Quality Standards
    Museum-Quality Standards
Features “Down on his Luck” by Frederick Mccubbin
Main Features
Author
Color
Brown, Green, Beige, Grey, Muted Tones
Tags
Sitting, Solitude, Thinking, Outdoors, Nature, Wilderness, Australian Bush
Main Features
Alternate Titles
The Lost Swagman
Art Movement
Australian Impressionism
Historical Events
Australian Economic Hardship
Visual and Stylistic Elements
Brushwork/Texture
Layered And Muted
Focal Point
The Lonely Bushman
Light Source
Subdued Light, Overcast Sky
Objects
Man , Tree , Forest , Campfire , Hat , Clothes , Log , Grass
Orientation
Horizontal
Perspective
Isolated Bushman View
Original Masterpiece Features
Condition/Restoration History
Minimal Restoration
Creation Process
Oil On Canvas
Inscriptions/Signatures
Signed By McCubbin
Patron/Commissioner
Unknown
Provenance
Art Gallery Of Western Australia
Influences and Related Works
Influences
Australian Bush Life, Realism
Related Works
The Pioneers
Exhibition and Market Information
Auction Price
Various Museums And Private Collections
Criticism & Reception
Viewed As A Haunting Image Of Isolation
Cultural Significance
Symbolizes The Hardships Of The Australian Outback
Current Owner
Various Museums And Private Collections
Exhibition History
Art Gallery Of Western Australia
Insurance Value
Various Museums And Private Collections
Market Trends
Various Museums And Private Collections
Public Domain Status
Various Museums And Private Collections
Reproductions
Various Museums And Private Collections
Did you see an error in the description or specifications? Let us know about it!
Report an error
Description “Down on his Luck” by Frederick Mccubbin

Frederick McCubbin's Down on His Luck (1889) is one of the most moving depictions of Australian pioneers' tribulations. This piece, painted during the height of the Heidelberg School movement, which sought to depict the raw and unfiltered beauty of the Australian environment, is more than just a depiction of rural life. It tells a profoundly human story of adversity, courage, and quiet sadness.

In the centre of the composition is a lone bushman crouched over a dwindling campfire. His demeanour is introspective, possibly even resigned, as he gazes into the embers, lost in meditation. His rough, worn-out attire and overgrown beard suggest that he has spent years dealing with the harsh realities of life in the Australian outback. Unlike the heroic vision commonly associated with pioneers, McCubbin's portrayal removes all romance, instead emphasising the loneliness and tiredness that often accompanied those seeking wealth in the wilderness.

The surrounding landscape is vast, untamed, and indifferent to the man’s plight. McCubbin’s soft, impressionist brushstrokes capture the earthy tones of the bush, with dappled sunlight filtering through the trees, lending an almost dreamlike quality to the scene. The artwork highlights the emotional burden of failure and loneliness in addition to surviving. The contrast between the figure's inner struggle and the beauty of nature is stunning.

Reviews “Down on his Luck” by Frederick Mccubbin
Add your review
Q/A “Down on his Luck” by Frederick Mccubbin
Experts answer questions
Add your questions
Additional Information “Down on his Luck” by Frederick Mccubbin

“McCubbin painted the Australian experience with unflinching honesty.” Mary Eagle

“In the bush, success and failure were separated by chance.” Leigh Astbury

“McCubbin found nobility in ordinary Australian struggle.” Andrew Sayers

“This painting defines Australian artistic identity.” Patrick McCaughey

“McCubbin made the bush both beautiful and brutal.” Ann Galbally

#1. Australian Identity. This painting became an icon of Australian art, depicting the harsh realities of bush life.

#2. Heidelberg School. McCubbin was a founding member of the Australian Impressionist movement.

#3. Social Realism. The work shows compassion for those struggling to survive in colonial Australia.

#4. Bush Setting. The Australian landscape is portrayed with Impressionist attention to light and atmosphere.

#5. National Collection. The painting is now in the Art Gallery of Western Australia.