National life & landscapes : Australian painting, 1900-1940

Artist and writer Ian Burn looks at art in Australia during the turbulent period of 1900-1940; the period following unification and eventual federation of the colonies, and encompassing the First World War, the subsequent depression and the lead up to the Second World War. The author sets out in the extensive text through six chapters to identify what characterises Australian art of the period, and argues that there is no one single defining factor. He includes work produced in response to the war as well as traditional landscape painting and portraiture, and also a little photography and sculpture.

The artists include Arthur Streeton, E. Carrick Fox, W Lister Lister, W B McInnes, J J Hilder, Hans Heysen, Rupert Bunny, George Lambert, show more Norman Lindsay, Hilda Rix, Nicholson, Tom Roberts, Max Meldrum, Horace, Trenerry, Albert Namatjira, Elioth Gruner, Percy Leason, Charles Meere, William Dobell, Colin Colahan and many others.

The book is illustrated throughout, there are 157 full colour plates, many full page; the range of work shown is not surprisingly quite diverse and very attractive. The book includes a detailed list of the plates and a bibliography. It is a large format: 12.5" x 10.25" (32cm x 26cm) 219 pages. Published 1991, ISBN 0863780009 show less