Tom Roberts Research Paper

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Frederick McCubbin, Arthur Steeton and Tom Roberts were all a part of the iconic art movement in Australia, that was, the Heidelberg school. The avid group of painters began their work in Melbourne and its landscape exploring the style of impressionism derived from Paris, France in the early 1860’s. These painters forever changed the national identity of Australia with their specific style of painting and influences. Their work depicted the harsh beauty that is the Australian bush, at the time, opening up the world to the outside depicting the experiences of the bush. They aimed for 'truth to nature' and worked in the open space outside, sketching quickly and applying their paint swiftly capturing instant impressions. This essay will discuss …show more content…

The phrase 'Heidelberg school' originated in July 1891 when a visiting American art critic named Sidney Dickinson, wrote a review about an exhibition of paintings by Walter Withers and Arthur streeton.
"Both these artists are of that practice which may be called, for purposes of distinction, the 'Heidelberg School' for their work has been done chiefly in this attractive suburb, where with others of like inclination, they have established a summer congregation for out-of-door painting." - Sidney Dickinson in The Australian Critic, 1 July …show more content…

His paintings aimed to capture the true Australian bushman at his work. Roberts most revered painting was Shearing the Ram,. Much like his artist colleague McCubbin, Roberts work reflects the influence the bush had on the works of the land, they honoured the regional land and the work of bushman. Roberts aimed to encapsulate the nobility of strong, masculine labour and the developing relationship between man and nature of the bush. Australia had become the world's largest wool producer by the 1870's and this attracted Roberts to the shearing as it became part of the national identity of Australia. The painting reflects the artists interest in expressing the mean of the subject and the spirit rather than just describing it through his composition of the characters and the visual harmony amongst them in what is a fast and hard

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