In 1946, Laurence Hope met prominent patrons John and Sunday Reed at their Melbourne property ‘Heide’, together with the Boyd family, John Perceval, Sidney Nolan and Joy Hester. Hope was exposed to Nolan’s ‘Ned Kelly’ paintings, as well as Hester’s figurative works, and was deeply impressed by their direct, authentic approach.

The moody, introspective quality and rough brushwork of (The lovers) has close parallels to the work of Joy Hester, among others. The low-key, acidic colours are at odds with the suggestion of tenderness conveyed by the title, a recurring theme of Hope’s oeuvre.