JACK CATO
1889-1971
John
Cyril Cato was born in Launceston and was inspired by the career
of his cousin, John Watt Beattie. a renowned topographical
photographer.
Cato joined Beattie’s studio in 1909 and was responsible
for adding a quality portrait service to the studio. Cato had already
studied
art under Lucien Dechaineux. and portrait photography under Percy
Whitelaw and John Andrew. Pictorialism had begun to create a taste
for more
imaginative portraiture than the clichéd 19th century studio
study inevitably set against fake balustrades. Cato went on to
contribute some of the best portrait work in the pictorial era.
From
1909—13 Cato worked in London, firstly for fellow Australian
H. Walter Barnett, who ran the leading society portrait studio,
and then with Claude Harris who specialised in theatrical personalities.
Cato worked next as a freelance photographer in the theatrical
world,
aided by patronage from Nellie Melba.
In
1913 Cato moved to South Africa to explore the scenic and business
potential of a new
country. He worked as an expedition
photographer
for Professor Cory of Grahamstown University before enlisting
for war service in South Africa. After the war he returned
to Tasmania, setting
up a studio in Hobart in 1920.
In
1927 Cato moved his studio and family to Melbourne where he was again
assisted by patronage
from Nellie Melba. His studio
was a leader
in social portraiture until 1947 when he retired to concentrate
on writing. Cato was encouraged by the success of his autobiography
I Can Take It, published in 1947, and went on to produce
The Story of
the Camera in Australia in 1955. To date this book has served
as the only comprehensive history of Australian photography
yet
published.
One of the strengths of the book is Cato’s vivid pen
portraits of the many photographers he met in his long career.
Cato
was not a regular exhibitor in pictorial salons although
his style had developed from that movement. Nor did he
write or lecture
prior
to retirement. He preferred to arrange one-man shows of
his work, presenting a particular theme, such as ‘local
characters’’.
above
text
based on Gaël Newton's Silver & Grey
A
STORY of The STORY: Correspondence between Jack Cato and Keast Burke
Gael Newton, Photofile, Autumn 1984
Jack Cato: (title unknown) Bridge Melbourne
collection photo-web