Further information
Exhibition dates:
13 April - 1 June 2008
Curator: NGA Director, Ron Radford AM
To mark the National Gallery of Australia’s 25th anniversary, the Gallery toured an exhibition of treasured Australian landscape paintings from its National Collection. The Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery was the only West Australian venue to host the exhibition in a national tour that took in every state and territory.
Arthur Streeton, The selector’s hut (Whelan on the log) 1890, oil on canvas76.7 x 51.2 cm, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Purchased 1961
The exhibition documented the most dynamic century of landscape painting from the colonial 1850s to the immediate period following World War II. Over this century, landscape painting was the “great” subject of Australian art, a theme that reflected the changing nature of a nation’s identity.
Russell Drysdale, Emus in a landscape, 1950, oil on canvas, 101.6 x 127.0 cm Purchased 1970, © Estate of Russell Drysdale Canberra National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
Landscape subjects also became popular with the general public as Australians began to visit their own museums and galleries to see images of their country. The fascination and love of the Australian landscape continues to this day.
Clarice Beckett, Sandringham Beach, c.1933, oil on canvas, 55.8 x 50.9 cm National Gallery of Australia, Purchased 1971
Every Australian state and territory was represented through the works by iconic artists such as:
- Thomas Baines
- Clarice Beckett
- Arthur Boyd
- Charles Conder
- Grace Cossington Smith
- Ray Crooke
- Russell Drysdale
- Harry Garlick
- Elioth Gruner
- Hans Heysen
- Sidney Nolan
- Margaret Preston
- Tom Roberts
- Jeffrey Smart
- Arthur Streeton
- Howard Taylor
- Albert Tucker
- Eugene Von Guerard
University information
CRICOS Code: 00126G
