Josephine was born at Barfold near Kyneton, Victoria, first child of Thomas Bingham Muntz, surveyor, and later  Mayor of Prahran. They had 10 children altogether and moved to Prahran Melbourne before 1872. Their second child died during a diphtheria epidemic in 1873 aged only 9 years, and their 9th child died 1877 aged only 11 months.

Probably she visited her grandparents in Killough- perhaps these paintings are of Joseph and Margaret Munce? They do resemble the photographs of her grandparents.

Josephine went to the National Gallery School Melbourne 1882 and 1884-1889 .

During 1890-96 she  lived overseas where she  studied at Colossi's, Paris, and  at von Herkomer's in England.

1892, June 10th  report from the Sun
"Miss J.M.Muntz, daughter of Councillor T.B. Muntz, of Prahran, had a portrait of her work accepted and hung (sic) on the line by the Paris Salon at the recent exhibition. Miss Muntz was a pupil of the late Mr Folingsby at the Melbourne National Gallery and went about two years ago to Paris, where she proposes remaining another year to pursue her art studies."

In 1896  she returned to Melbourne and in this year painted her best example of adventurous  portraiture in the "Gypsy Belle" now in Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, 

"xxxxre examples of the work of Josephine Muntz-Adams, which has been seen in several retrospective exhibitions in recent years , will be on view  in the Kozminsky Gallery* from tomorrow.

"Mrs Muntz-Adams, one of the older school of painters,  belongs in spirit to the heyday of the Heidelberg school of Impressionism which produced Streeton, McCubbin and the rest. 

"Her work is sensitive and charming and is often marked by that rare sense of color common to the leaders of the school.
The works on show very from the admirable portrait of Dr Du Freere to such delightful little impressions as "Sunset, Edithvale Beach".

"Mrs Muntz-Adams has a worthy place in the story of art in Australia and it is pleasant to see more of the large collection of pictures which she appears to have accumulated in a long painting life."

[* Kosminsky's is in Melbourne -downtown.]
 

1899 Wednesday 13 September 1899 Courier Mail says "Mrs Adams ( Miss Muntz ) " won equal first prize by the Queensland Art Society for of portait of Dr Dufresne.

Not Josephine Muntz Adams but an American artist -below

"Society Lady in Red Kimono"  signed Josephine Adams 1937- left bottom corner. "This Portrait was done in 1937 when we believe she was based in Melbourne but she travelled a lot."
Not the right Josephine Muntz Adams.(liz)

 David L. Muntz's daughter:   only  child was Jean "Florence" Mary Muntz b.1898  WA,   died 14 Sept 1946 Sydney NSW ,   m 1  [div. abt 1925?] Keith FOENANDER, m2,  a Mr  Nicholson,  who would have been about 38 years old in 1837 and whom she saw often and travelled with.
 

The same scene, oil on canvas 17x12 cm

Same beach!

The view north- east  from the McCrae Beach April 2000  photo

 By 1907 Josephine was able to obtain commissions for portraits ,which included the Victorian premier, commanding very  high prices for the times.
She married Samuel Howard Adams 25 August 1896. In Hawksburn, Melbourne.

They lived in Brisbane until Samuel died 1903 there  from an accident with a horse carriage.  They had no children. 

Josephine's   travels by passenger ship:
 "MRS MUNTZ-ADAMS"  aged 29 [ was 42] with
 Mr T.B MUNTZ aged 54 [ was 69 -her father] 
"Miss MUNTZ [cant say which one for sure a neice?] aged 21 passengers NZ to Vic on board the " MONAWA" 1904 FEB  fiche 312 pp 001

Also  passengers from Britain to Vic 1911 Jan on  "Orontes"
"Mrs Muntz Adams aged 52 [  ]with Mr D L Muntz [ her brother David Livingstone Munzt  whose daughter was about 13 then] and 
Miss Muntz aged 31. 
 

During 1905 -8 , 1912-16 she exhibited with the Victorian Artists Society.

Went overseas 1908 .

During 1917-22 lived and taught art in Brisbane

When she came back to Melbourne she lived in Malvern, and her beach house at Edithvale. Also owned a few properties in Malvern one of which had been her father's.

Frequently she used her relatives as subjects in her paintings - eg Portrait of Stella White, $2,090 watercolour, signed and dated, 30.5 x 22 cm. Christies Melbourne 20/04/93, lot 221, Estimate: $700-1,000. 

More paintings done while visiting  Munce relatives in Killough, County Down.

The church Killough. 

 

A cottage in Ireland  probably near Killough? 

Perhaps some locals in Killough? 
The houses and trees are not Australian.

....

Unfortunately her eyesight began to fail her around 1930  but she continued to patin well until her death.  When she was 80 years old an exhibition of her work was given "enthusiastic acclaim" by Sir Keith Murdoch when he opened it at  the Athenaeum Gallery, Melbourne.

Josephine Muntz Adams died 18th November 1949 (Vic.death certificate no 12637) at St Helen's Private Hospital, Lewisham Road, Windsor, City of Prahran, (now Stonnington) County of Bourke, Melbourne, of cerebral thrombosis
(stroke) which she had suffered a month prior to her death. She had also suffered athersclerosis for 10 years according to her doctor, E.R. Edwards.

Then she was buried on 25th November 1949 at Toowong Cemetery Brisbane, Queensland,  in the same grave as her husband Samuel Howard Adams  (21 March 1903)  in Portion 18, Section 80, Allotment 3.She had married in Brisbane at the age of 32 years, according to her death certificate. In her will she meticulously named 32 nieces and nephews and all other relatives she left money to. There were 150 paintings at her house at the time of death which were auctioned by Joels, along with other possessions [I have the itemised list - it includes an EPNS tea set]