Desiderius Orban was an immensely influential figure in the Australian art world, yet his contributions are not as widely appreciated as they should be. Born in Hungary, Orban was a pivotal painter and artistic thinker who arrived in Australia in 1939 after leaving Hungary to avoid the Nazis. At the time, he was 55 years old and had already established a successful career in Hungary, where he was a member of “The Eight”, a group of ... painters who introduced modern techniques into Hungarian art.

Orban had a deep understanding of art and its theory, and he made a significant impact through his writing, teaching and practice. He authored three influential books: “A Layman’s Guide to Creative Art” (1968), “Understanding Art” (1969), and “What Is Art All About?” (1975).

His teaching philosophy emphasized that the core principle of art education was to influence students as little as possible, instead guiding them to discover their own creative voice. Orban believed that academic teaching often stifled creativity, allowing it to flourish only in the most exceptional students, or “geniuses.”

Orban was known for his strong opinions. He saw that the key distinction between a painter and an artist is that the former merely creates a pictorial copy of reality, while the latter uses elements of reality to generate a new creation.

Margaret Dunn Crowley, a respected West Australian painter, praised Orban in her memoir, saying, "I learnt more from him than any other teacher." Given the high calibre of teaching Dunn Crowley had received, this is a remarkable endorsement.

Orban’s work, such as "Bronte II", exemplifies his philosophy of using elements of reality to create something entirely new. His legacy is preserved in major collections, including the National Gallery of Australia and all state galleries.