Art

Australia has produced a number of talented artists over the years, and most Australian art is heavily influenced by the importance of the landscape.

In the 19th century, most art was produced to map the landscape, flora and fauna of the country, although some landscape painters did emerge, such as John Glover (described as the father of Australian landscape painting), while S. T. Gill documented life on the Australian gold fields.

Australian art really came alive with the development of the Heidelberg School in the 1880s, with typical works focusing on the vibrant colours of the Australian outback. Some of its most popular exponents included Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton, Frederick McCubbin, and Charles Conder.

The 20th century saw Australian art produce some of its finest works. Lloyd Rees presented his iconic drawings of Sydney Harbour, while between 1904 and 1932 Hans Heysen won the Wynne Prize nine times for his watercolours; Bertram Mackennal became the greatest Australian sculptor. By the mid Twentieth Century, surrealism was beginning to dominate the artistic scene, with James Gleeson becoming recognised as Australia’s most significant surrealist painter. Sculptor Robert Klippel was also heavily influenced by the surrealists.

Today many works by these famous artists can be seen in Australia’s many art galleries. Visit the Museums (active link) section for more details.

Australia’s most popular artists include:

• Ken Done
• Norman Lindsay
• John Olsen
• Arthur Streeton
• Brett Whiteley
• Fred Williams

Find out more:

• National Library of Australia – Picture Australia
• Warwick Art History Web: Australian art
• Wikipedia: Art of Australia