Tom Roberts Biography
Tom Roberts was a famous painter and photographer. He was born on the 8th of March, 1856 at Dorchester, Dorset, England. He arrived in Victoria on the 22nd of June 1869, and eventually settled in Collingwood.
He first began taking classes and training in art when he was 15 years of age. By the time he reached the age of 18, he had worked with the famous artist, Louis Buvelot. In 1881, he returned to England and Europe to continue his studies in Art. This trip was funded by the sales he was receiving from his paintings to the National Gallery (Andrew Mackenzie, 2000).
In 1885 Tom Roberts returned to Australia. He immediately began to change his work from photography to painting. French impressionists, who tried to tried to capture the constantly changing effects of nature in their paintings, had a major influence on Tom Roberts art.
Roberts, along with C. Conder, F. McCubbin, A. Streeton and later W. Withers, formed a national school for landscape painting. In 1890 he had completed his most famous piece "Shearing the Rams" and in 1891 painted "A Breakaway at Brocklesby Station". Not only did his works aim to capture Australian life but he painted many portraits, for example Henry Parkes (1893) (Helen Topliss, 2006).
In 1896, at the age of 40, Tom Robersts married Elizabeth Williams and settled in Balmain where they were blessed with a son. Tom painted another famous piece of art "Opening of the First Federal Parliament" between 1901 and 1903. He eventually went back home to England in 1903 and remained there for 16 years where he painted various pieces during this time. He returned back to Australia for a short period in 1919 and then moved back permanently to England in 1923. Unfortunately Tom Roberts died of cancer at 75 years of age, in June 1931 (Andrew Mackenzie, 2000).
Most of his pieces of art can be found around Australia, mainly in the Sydney and Melbourne Gallery's however some of his collection remained private.
References:
Andrew Mackenzie, 2000, The Artist Tom Roberts. Retrieved
http://www.artistsfootsteps.com/html/Roberts_biography.htm
Helen Topliss, 2006, Roberts, Thomas William (Tom) (1856–1931).Retrieved
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/roberts-thomas-william-tom-8229
He first began taking classes and training in art when he was 15 years of age. By the time he reached the age of 18, he had worked with the famous artist, Louis Buvelot. In 1881, he returned to England and Europe to continue his studies in Art. This trip was funded by the sales he was receiving from his paintings to the National Gallery (Andrew Mackenzie, 2000).
In 1885 Tom Roberts returned to Australia. He immediately began to change his work from photography to painting. French impressionists, who tried to tried to capture the constantly changing effects of nature in their paintings, had a major influence on Tom Roberts art.
Roberts, along with C. Conder, F. McCubbin, A. Streeton and later W. Withers, formed a national school for landscape painting. In 1890 he had completed his most famous piece "Shearing the Rams" and in 1891 painted "A Breakaway at Brocklesby Station". Not only did his works aim to capture Australian life but he painted many portraits, for example Henry Parkes (1893) (Helen Topliss, 2006).
In 1896, at the age of 40, Tom Robersts married Elizabeth Williams and settled in Balmain where they were blessed with a son. Tom painted another famous piece of art "Opening of the First Federal Parliament" between 1901 and 1903. He eventually went back home to England in 1903 and remained there for 16 years where he painted various pieces during this time. He returned back to Australia for a short period in 1919 and then moved back permanently to England in 1923. Unfortunately Tom Roberts died of cancer at 75 years of age, in June 1931 (Andrew Mackenzie, 2000).
Most of his pieces of art can be found around Australia, mainly in the Sydney and Melbourne Gallery's however some of his collection remained private.
References:
Andrew Mackenzie, 2000, The Artist Tom Roberts. Retrieved
http://www.artistsfootsteps.com/html/Roberts_biography.htm
Helen Topliss, 2006, Roberts, Thomas William (Tom) (1856–1931).Retrieved
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/roberts-thomas-william-tom-8229