The things you find at a tip shop - Painting by Arnold Jarvis

ARNOLD JARVIS



My prize I found at the tip shop for 5 dollars



(1881-1959 ) Juggler, equilibrist, lighting sketch artist.

Routinely billed as “the Australian Cinquevalli,” Arnold Henry Jarvis was the son of Henry Jarvis was an early horse-tram driver from Erindale in Adelaide (one of the suburb’s streets is named after him). By 1899, while still in his teens Arnold had established a reputation as an equilibrist, and the following year accepted an engagement from Jones and Lawrence to appear at the Cremorne Theatre, Perth. The West Australian noted at that time “the ease with which he performed the most difficult feats excited special attention and secured [him]… rounds of applause (1 Oct. 1900, 7). In addition to his juggling skills Jarvis was an adept lighting sketch painter – reportedly being able to paint landscapes, seascapes and interior scenes in less than three minutes. While not viewed as an original creator of juggling acts, he was nevertheless regarded as a highly talented performer. One of his early turns was the replication of Cinquevalli’s “Human Billiard Table.” It is presently unclear how long Jarvis continued his career in variety. No reviews and advertising bearing his name have been located after 1901. He later became recognised as one of Australia’s leading watercolour landscape artists in the style of Hans Heyson, however. Jarvis died in Melbourne in 1959. Today his paintings can fetch between a few hundred dollars to upwards of $4,000.