Lizette Bentwitch

Caption for the featured miniature:

Lieut-General Sir John Monash GCMG, KCB, VD and Miss Lizette Bentwitch 1927

watercolour on ivory
87 x 106 mm.
signed by the artist, Agnes Paterson

exhibited Victorian Artists Society April 1927, April 1928 and April 1931

The intense personal relationship that existed between John Monash and Lizzie Bentwitch was no secret to the Melbourne society of their day or since. It was discreetly documented by the late Geoffrey Serle in his superb biography of Monash published in 1982 with the full support of the Monash family. Whilst press photographs of the two together are known to exist, the miniature is a truly unique example of John Monash iconography. The very existence of a double portrait represents a clear statement of intent by a couple in every sense except name. The story of how it came to survive cannot yet be told.

Research is in progress into the life of Elizabeth Bentwitch and her remarkable extended family, staunch Zionists, many of whom participated in the re-settlement of Jews in Israel after the First World War.

In addition, we are trying to establish what happened to two companion pieces - singleton portraits of Monash and Bentwitch - the former certainly by Paterson and the latter probably so, though Lizzie was said to be a miniaturist of some skill herself.