Tom Roberts & the art of portraiture

Melbourne : Thames &​ Hudson Australia, 2015. Quarto, illustrated boards, pp. 448, extensively illustrated. New copy.

‘Tom Roberts is a household name across the entire Australian arts-interested population and beyond. His portraits have never been the subject of a book. Those portrayed are figures in the nations history and lead-up to Federation in 1901, and therefore the book is also a social history. Adapted from the author’s thesis “Tom Roberts’ portraits: the complexity of representation of identity in the modern portrait in Australia” (Ph.D), Monash University, 2011. Includes bibliographical references (pages 436-446) and index. Shortlisted, Non-fiction, Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, 2016.’ – Trove website

‘Dr Julie Cotter of Monash University has provided a richly detailed account of the career of Heidelberg School artist Tom Roberts that focuses on his enormous range of portrait studies. Identities portrayed include famous figures in the society and politics of the late 19th century as well as very early significant portraits of Indigenous people.

Copiously illustrated with hundreds of images covering almost the artist’s entire oeuvre of portrait paintings, with fine photography provided by many of Australia’s leading galleries and collections, this splendidly researched publication will add new insights and information into the scholarship already developed around this important figure in Australian art history. His grand painting of the ceremony proclaiming Australia’s Federation in 1901, in the Queen’s Collection, forms a powerful conclusion to the book.’ – the publisher.