Tom Roberts

Tom Roberts, born on March ninth, eighteen fifty-six, was an influential English-born Australian painter and a pivotal figure in the Heidelberg School art movement, often regarded as the foundation of Australian impressionism. After honing his skills in Melbourne, he embarked on a journey to Europe in eighteen eighty-one to further his artistic education, returning in eighteen eighty-five, enriched with the latest artistic trends.

In the same year, Roberts co-founded the Box Hill artists' camp with fellow artist Frederick McCubbin, marking the beginning of several plein air camps that would become a hallmark of the Heidelberg School. Alongside notable contemporaries Arthur Streeton and Charles Conder, he played a crucial role in the groundbreaking 1889 9 by 5 Impression Exhibition, which is celebrated as Australia's first avant-garde art exhibition.

Affectionately nicknamed 'Bulldog' for his relentless determination, Roberts emerged as the driving force behind the Heidelberg School movement. He inspired fellow artists to depict the essence of Australian life, and while he is renowned for his national narratives—such as 'Shearing the Rams' (eighteen ninety), 'A break away!' (eighteen ninety-one), and 'Bailed Up' (eighteen ninety-five)—he also made a name for himself as a society portraitist. His advocacy for a National Portrait Gallery in Australia was groundbreaking.

In eighteen hundred and three, Roberts completed 'The Big Picture,' a commissioned work that stands as the most iconic visual representation of the first Australian Parliament, solidifying his legacy in the annals of Australian art history.