This is a very small exhibition so it doesn't cost that much to get in. Three of the four artists featured were not really impressionists in the way Monet was an impressionist, but more the way Singer Sargeant was an impressionist, or Manet - they wanted to paint outdoors, quickly, and they wanted to show the impression of being out there - but they were not studying colour at the expense of forms. They painted the bright blues and the faded greens and greys they could see, but to make recognisable places and experiences. The three are Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton and Charles Conder. Some of these pictures are in the National Gallery exhibitions. The first pictures, below, are by Tom Roberts, and show his interest in painting Australian everyday life.
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| Coogee Bay. |
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| This beautiful picture is not in the exhibition. |
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| This street scene is actually more typical of Australians lives than the rural scenes. |
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Sheep breaking away, a dog being trampled, 2 piles of bones of dead cattle.
A fantastic picture. |
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| A very bold composition |
These artists have been criticised for making a mythic Australia in which the men were strong and outdoorsy and rural. In fact, most Australians always lived in towns by the coast.
The next artist (pictures below) is Arthur Streeton. It's impossible to say which of them was more talented.
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Blasting through a tunnel
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| Magnetic Island |
I was less impressed by the work of Charles Conder who had a tendency to be Frenchified and enjoy painting pretty dresses more than the others. Pictures below.
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| The impressionists camped every year at Heidelberg, encouraging each other. This pic shows two of them discussing their work. |
This exhibition is well worth spending time at.
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