Course overview
The course examines the arts of colonial Australia from 1788 to 1901 from a postcolonial perspective. It draws on the extensive collection of colonial works in the Gallery's collection, paying particular attention to early paintings and works on paper by John Lewin, Thomas Bock, John Glover, Eugene von Guerard, William Strutt, Alexander Schramm, S.T. Gill, and others. Some attention will also be paid to the decorative arts of colonial Australia, and to the early history of photography. The representation of Indigenous Australians by colonial artists will also be discussed, as well as issues such as the role and function of art for developing colonies.