‘A’ is for Allen’
March is Women’s History Month and it is timely to celebrate a woman who was once recognised for her contribution to Australian culture but is now largely forgotten. Let’s meet …
‘A’ is for Abrahams
From April to August this year, the National Gallery of Victoria will hold an exhibition of Australian Impressionist art entitled ‘She-Oak and Sunlight’. Curated by scholar and historian, Dr Anne …
Picturing Wright
Barrie Sheppard considers Joseph Wright’s interest in self-portraiture by delving back in history. Barrie write: Joseph Wright of Derby painted six self portraits in oils approximately ten years apart. The …
Joseph Wright of Derby
Barrie Sheppard continues his exploration of the world of British art and artists. Barrie writes: The old adage of not judging a book by its cover remains good advice, reminding …
Remembering Doré
Tucked away in the National Gallery of Victoria’s ‘works on paper’ collection is a copy of Gustave Doré’s ‘Two Hundred Sketches – Humorous and Grotesque’ from 1867. While Paul Gustave …
White Lies: Sculpture from Antiquity
Reflecting on the colours of ancient sculptures, Susanne Pearce discusses a memorable exhibition she saw in Berlin. Susanne writes: Amanda Dunsmore (Senior Curator, International Decorative Arts and Antiquities at the …
Picturing the landscape
Barrie Sheppard takes us on a tour of the landscape in the 19th century, seen through the eyes of two important English artists. Barrie writes: Seventeenth century landscape artist Claude …
More ‘bloody’ ox stuff …
In China, the ‘ox’ is not just prominent as a working, mythological, zodiac or artistic animal, it also lends its name to a deep red colour of ceramic glaze – …
Ox(idate)
I wonder if it is fortuitous that this Chinese Year is the ‘Year of the Ox’. Commencing on 12 February, it was perfectly timed to coincide with the short stage …
Be my Valentine?
‘Will you be my valentine?’ – the question posed annually to potential romantic interests – is probably more fraught this year with Melbourne in stage 4 hard lockdown on Valentine’s …