Painter, noted for his portraits, latterly also a sculptor, born into well-to-do family in Woodend, Victoria, Australia. He studied medicine at the University in Melbourne, 1915–16, then art at Max Meldrum School there, 1916–19 (in 1917 publishing Max Meldrum, His Art and Views), also in London and Paris. Colahan was a founder-member of the Australian Academy of Art. Moved to London between the wars and was an Official War Artist with the Australian forces from 1942. As well as exhibiting at the RA, ROI, elsewhere in England and at the Paris Salon, Colahan also showed with the Australian Artists’ Association, of which he was president, formed in London in 1951. He lived in Whistler’s house in Tite Street, where the Association met. By this time the monocled Colahan was well established in England, but in the mid-1960s with his wife Ursula Marks (of the Marks & Spencer chain store family), he moved to the Riviera and died in Menton.