Tom Roberts

Tom Roberts was an Australian painter of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He has been called the father of Australian landscape painting.Humphrey McQueen: Tom Roberts

Although Roberts was born in England, his major works,such as Shearing the Rams and The Golden Fleece, reflect the emerging sense of national identity that was felt in Australia at the end of the nineteenth century. He was commissioned by a group of Melbourne businessmen to create a painting to commemorate the opening of the first Australian parliament, with the requirement that it include at least 250 "recognizable likenesses" of the guests that were present for the occasion. These guests included many prominent figures of the time, including the future king of England, George V. Roberts was paid 2,000 guineas for the work, which took him two and a half years to finish. The painting is on display at the Parliament House in Australia. Although the official title is the Opening of the First Parliament, Roberts called it The Big Picture.Parliament of Victoria: The Big Picture

Roberts was a key member, along with Charles Conder, Sir Arthur Streeton, and Fredrick McCubbin, of the Heidelberg School.Artlex: Heidelberg School These artists were influenced by French impressionism. Their work provided a contrast to the more polished style that characterized Australian art in the nineteenth century.World Wide Arts Resources: Heidelberg School It is thought that the name Heidelberg came from a farmhouse outside Melbourne where Streeten, Conder, and Roberts painted for a few summers.The Hindu: Impressionists Down Under