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Collection

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Tom Roberts

(England, Australia 08 Mar 1856–14 Sep 1931)

Title

The Golden Fleece

Other titles:

Shearing at Newstead (The Golden Fleece)
Golden Fleece (Shearing at Newstead)
Shearing at Newstead
The Golden Fleece: shearing at Newstead

Place of origin

Inverell → New South Wales → Australia

Year

1894

Media category

Painting

Materials used

oil on canvas

Dimensions

104.0 x 158.7cm stretcher; 134.5 x 189.0 x 9.5cm frame

Signature & date

Signed l.r. corner, red/brown oil "TOM ROBERTS.". Dated l.l. corner, red/brown oil "... 94".

Credit

Purchased 1894

Accession number

648

Location

19th c Australian art

Further information

Tom Roberts painted 'The Golden Fleece' while staying at Newstead Station in the New England tablelands of northern NSW. It is part of a series in which Roberts payed homage to rural life and pastoral industry, and captured vanishing traditions such as the use of manual shears.

Originally called 'Shearing at Newstead', this painting was renamed to reference the Greek myth in which the Argonauts voyage to the end of the world in search of the Golden Fleece. The title reflects Roberts’ creation of the rural worker as ‘hero’, and his evocation of Australia
as an Arcadian land of pastoral plenty.

The work’s frame is attributed to John Thallon, the famous 19th-century Melbourne carver and gilder, and was restored in 2010.

Bibliography (91)

'Aussie icon back in the frame' by Elizabeth Fortescue., Daily telegraph 21 Jul 2010, 21 Jul 2010, (colour illus.). Conservator Barbara Dabrowa pictured next to painting; page unknown

'Shedding new light on a historic work of art' by Steve Meacham., The Sydney Morning Herald 14 Mar 2009, 14 Mar 2009, (colour illus.). page unknown

Denise Mimmocchi (Australia) (Author), Australian Collection Focus: Sydney Long - Pan, Sydney, 2009, 6, 7.

Sigurd Bergmann (Germany; Norway) (Author), SÅ FRÄMMANDA DET LIKA: Samisk konst i ljuset av religion och globalisering, Norway, 2009, 355 (illus.). fig.no. 10.15

Editor Unknown (Editor), Sotheby's Melbourne: Important Australian Art, 25 & 26 August 2008, Australia, 2008, 47, 48 (colour illus.). Related work 'Shearing shed, Newstead', lot no. 20.

John McDonald (Australia, b.1961) (Author), Art of Australia. Vol. 1: Exploration to Federation, Sydney, 2008, 580, 581 (colour illus.).

Terence Lane (Editor), Australian Impressionism, Melbourne, 2007, 286-287, 345, 293 (colour illus.). cat.no. 15.6

Ann Hodgens (Australia) (Editor), Tom Roberts Festival 2006: Heritage tour, Inverell, 2006, 3, 21, 30, 31 (illus.).

The people in the paintings: a research report for the Art Gallery of New South Wales 2006, 2006, 1, 2, 5-36, 6 (colour illus.).

'Australian perspective', pg. 36-39., Society and environment for Western Australia 2 2005, 2005, 36 (colour illus.).

Rex Butler (Editor), Radical revisionism: an anthology of writings on Australian art, Brisbane, 2005, 47 (colour illus.), 171, 172. fig.no. 19

'Legends of the outback: Australian painters inspired by the bush' by John Dunn, pg. 72-78., Outback Jun 2004-Jul 2004, Jun 2004-Jul 2004, 75.

'Conservation: Newstead homestead' by Jo Anne Pomfrett, pg. 9., Insites Summer 2004, Summer 2004, 9.

'Australian perspectives', pg. 84-87., SOSE alive 3 2004, 2004, 84 (colour illus.).

The families of William Henry Lowe and Keziah Lowe nee Mansfield of Inverell - Swanvale - Glen Innies: compiled by their grandchildren 2003-2004, 2003-2004, 1 (colour illus.). William Henry Lowe is the shearer standing third on the left in the painting 'The Golden Fleece'. This family history was compiled by his grandchildren, Val Sharp (Newcastle) and Doug Colley, 2003-2004.

Terry Smith (Author), Transformations in Australian art: The nineteenth century - landscape, colony and nation [Volume One], St Leonards, 2002, 84, 87, 95, 97 (illus.), 98-99. fig.no. 3.12

'Tom's people' by Andrew Stephenson, pg. 3., The Sydney Morning Herald 09 Jan 2001, 09 Jan 2001, 3. pg. 3 of Summer Metropolitan section.

'Riding on the sheep's back: the wool industry', pg. 51-57., 1901: Australian life at federation: an illustrated chronicle 2001, 2001, 53 (colour illus.).

Inverell Art Gallery (Australia) (Author), Tom Roberts Art Exhibition. Tom Roberts Festival 2001, Inverell, 2001, 11.

Stuart Hill (Australia, b.1943) (Author), Martin Mulligan (Australia) (Author), Ecological pioneers: a social history of Australian ecological thought and action, Cambridge, 2001, 48.

'Positions vacant' by Humphrey McQueen, pg. 21-23., Art Monthly Australia Sep 2000, Sep 2000, 21. Review of the 'Australian icons' exhibition.

'Time makes its judgment' by Barry Pearce, pg. 2-3., The Weekend Australian 12 Aug 2000-13 Aug 2000, 12 Aug 2000-13 Aug 2000, 2 (colour illus.). This colour supplement is a 'Review Special' published for the 'Weekend Australian'. It consists of a four-page, colour wrap-around for the 'Weekend Australian Review'. 'The Australian' was the media sponsor for the AGNSW Exhibition 'Australian Icons', for the Olympic Arts Festival 2000.

'Great art starts with the framework' by Ali Gripper., The Sydney Morning Herald 04 Aug 2000, 04 Aug 2000, page unknown. Article about restoration of frames for the 'Australian Icons' exhibition and features a photograph of Installation Crew with 'Holiday in Essex'.

'Australian Icons at the Art Gallery of New South Wales', pg. 4-5., Australian artist Aug 2000, Aug 2000, 5 (colour illus.).

'Eye for an eye: the art of appreciation' by John McPhee, pg. 98-101., Australian art collector Apr 2000-Jun 2000, Apr 2000-Jun 2000, 98 (colour illus.).

John McDonald (Australia, b.1961) (Author), Federation: Australian art and society 1901-2001, Canberra, 2000, 103.

'Icons on show' by Rob Ditessa', pg. 54-59., Artist's palette 2000, 2000, 57 (colour illus.).

Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), Australian art: in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Domain, 2000, 13, 37-38, 60 (colour illus.), 302.

Aspects of Australian art 2000, 2000, (colour illus.). card no. 2: Tom Roberts 'The Golden Fleece' 1894

'Conservation of a woolshed', pg. 14., Heritage NSW Oct 1999, Oct 1999, 14 (colour illus.). Special focus on rural heritage in NSW and the conservation of the Newstead North woolshed where Tom Roberts set 'The Golden Fleece'.

Bruce James (Australia) (Author), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Director), Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, Domain, 1999, 118 (colour illus.).

Ian McLean (Australia) (Author), White Aborigines, London, 1998, 62, 63 (illus.).

Louise Sweetland (Australia) (Editor), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Author), Elizabeth Cross (Australia, b.1943) (Author), Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), Southern Reflections: 10 contemporary Australian artists, Domain, 1998, 36 (colour illus.). fig.no. 5

Zoë Ross (Editor), Eyewitness travel guides: Australia, London, 1998, 107 (colour illus.).

Jenny Aland (Editor), Max Darby (Editor), Art Connections, Port Melbourne, 1998, 49 (colour illus.).

'Arts of Australia', pg. 32-35., Australia Explored by the Great South Pacific Express 1998, 1998, 34 (colour illus.).

'Review of Books' by Bruce James., The Australian 11 Dec 1996, 11 Dec 1996, 14-15.

The Australian 28 Sep 1996, 28 Sep 1996, 24, 26-27.

'Shear genius: festival goes for gold' by Geraldine O'Brien, pg. 11., The Sydney Morning Herald 13 Apr 1996, 13 Apr 1996, 11 (illus.).

'Tom Roberts Bailed Up' by Janet Hawley, pg. 32-39, Good Weekend 24 Feb 1996, 24 Feb 1996, 33, 36 (colour illus.), 37, 39.

Humphrey McQueen (Author), Tom Roberts, Sydney, 1996, 382-3, 388, 433-4.

Economic Activity: Issues and Economies 1996, 1996, 273.

Tom Roberts 1996, 1996, back (colour illus.).

Ron Radford (Australia, b.1949) (Author), Humphrey McQueen (Author), Mary Eagle (Australia, b.1944) (Author), Virginia Spate (Australia) (Author), Daniel Thomas (Author), Jane Hylton (b.1950) (Author), Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), Leigh Astbury (b.1950) (Author), Helen Topliss (Australia) (Author), Roger Butler (Australia, b.1948) (Author), Jane Hylton (b.1950) (Author), Tom Roberts, Adelaide, 1996, 10, 82, 90, 96, 100, 104, 106, 112, 116, 120, 124, 138, 206.

Author Unknown (Author), Wool in the Australian imagination, Glebe, 1994, 66, 67 (colour illus.), 194.

Ewen McDonald (Australia) (Editor), The Art Gallery of New South Wales collections, Sydney, 1994, 8, 16 (colour illus.).

Wendy Richardson (Author), Work through the eyes of artists., England, 1993, 36 (illus.).

Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Author), 10 Masterpieces of Australian Painting, Domain, 1993, (colour illus.).

David Malouf (Australia) (Author), Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia) (Author), Patricia McDonald (Author), Hetti Perkins (Australia) (Author), Art treasures: candidate citites for the 2000 Olympic Games: Beijing, Berlin, Brasilia, Istanbul, Manchester, Sydney, Lausanne, 1993, 166, 167 (colour illus.). cat.no. 4

Philip Drew (Author), Veranda: Embracing Place, Pymble, 1992, 151-2 (colour illus.).

Deborah Edwards (Australia) (Author), Stampede of the Lower Gods: Classical Mythology in Australian Art, Domain, Sep 1989, 31.

Annabel Davie (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales Handbook, Domain, 1988, 18 (illus.).

Deborah Edwards (Australia) (Author), Two centuries of Australian painting: a selection from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, New South Wales, 1986, front cover (colour illus.), 9, 21. cat.no. 11; titled 'The Golden Fleece: shearing at Newstead'

City bushmen: the Heidelberg school and the rural mythology 1985, 1985, 122, 124-125. plate no. 20

Helen Topliss (Australia) (Author), Tom Roberts 1856-1931: a catalogue raisonné. Volume 2 - Plates, Melbourne, 1985. plate no. 98

Helen Topliss (Australia) (Author), Tom Roberts 1856-1931: a catalogue raisonné. Volume 1 - Text, Melbourne, 1985, cover (colour illus.), 130-31. titled 'Shearing at Newstead'; cat.no. 216

'Contrasting lights', pg. 135-154., Images in opposition: Australian landscape painting 1801-1890 1985, 1985, 150.

Ian Donaldson (b.1935) (Editor), Tasmin Donaldson (b.1939) (Editor), Seeing the first Australians, North Sydney, 1985, 112, 113 (illus.), 124. plate no. 8.3

Alan McCulloch (Australia, b.1907, d.1992) (Author), Encyclopedia of Australian Art (Vol.1, A-K), Hawthorn East, 1984, 604-605.

Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Editor), Jan Meek (Australia) (Editor), Portrait of a Gallery, Sydney, 1984, 34, 36 (colour illus.).

Patsy Adam-Smith (b.1924, d.2001) (Author), The shearers, Melbourne, 1982, cover (colour illus.).

William Splatt (Author), Susan Bruce (Author), Australian impressionist painters: a pictorial history of the Heidelberg school, Windsor, 1981, 88. plate no. 57

Terry Smith (Editor), Anthony Bradley (b.1936) (Editor), Australian art and architecture: essays presented to Bernard Smith, Melbourne, 1980, 78, 79 (illus.), 82.

Australian Gallery Directors Council (Australia), Old master paintings from the USSR: A survey of four centuries of European art. Report, Sydney, 1979. cat.no. 56

'Artist gave life to spirit of Australian bush', pg. 24., Daily Mirror 20 Jul 1978, 20 Jul 1978, 24.

Virginia Spate (Australia) (Author), Tom Roberts, Melbourne, 1978, 70, 81 (colour illus.), 92-94, 149. plate no. 25

'Tom Roberts: father of Australian landscape painting', pg. 25-27., Parade Apr 1973, Apr 1973, 25, 26, 27.

William Splatt (Author), Barbara Burton (Author), 100 masterpieces of Australian painting, Adelaide, 1973, 74, 75 (colour illus.). plate no. 34

Robert Hughes (Australia; United States of America, b.1938, d.2012) (Author), The art of Australia, Ringwood, 1970, 57.

'Tom Roberts' by Daniel Thomas, pg. 466-487., Art Gallery of New South Wales Quarterly (Vol. 10, No. 4) Jul 1969, Jul 1969, 472 (illus.), 473.

Editor Unknown (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales Quarterley, Domain, Jul 1969, 472-73 (illus.).

Alan McCulloch (Australia, b.1907, d.1992) (Author), John Henshaw (New Zealand; Australia, b.1929, d.2006) (Editor), The golden age of Australian painting - Impressionism and the Heidelberg school, Melbourne, 1969, 62 (colour illus.).

'Old painting found at Corowa'., Corowa Free Press 02 Apr 1963, 02 Apr 1963. Author and page unknown.

Robert Campbell (Australia, b.1902, d.1972) (Author), Paintings of Tom Roberts, Adelaide, 1962, 5.

Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874) (Author), A selection of eighty-two reproductions mainly from the Australian collection and including examples from the British, French and Dutch [Art Gallery of New South Wales]., Sydney, 1959, (colour illus.). plate no. 7

Bernard Smith (Australia, b.1916, d.2011) (Author), A catalogue of Australian oil paintings in the National Art Gallery of New South Wales 1875-1952, Sydney, 1953, 175, 176. titled 'The Golden Fleece' (called 'Shearing at Newstead' in the Cat. of the Art Soc. of N.S.W. An. Ex. 1894).

Hal Missingham (Australia, b.1906, d.1994) (Author), A retrospective exhibition of Australian painting, Domain, 1953. cat.no. 61

Art in Australia [series 3, no. 70] Mar 1938, Mar 1938, 40 (illus.).

Lionel Lindsay (Australia, b.1874, d.1961) (Author), 150 years of Australian art, Sydney, 1938. titled 'The golden fleece (Shearing at Newstead, N.S.W.)'; cat.no. 4

Robert Croll (Australia, b.1867, d.1947) (Author), Tom Roberts: father of Australian landscape painting, Melbourne, 1935, 32.

George Galway (Australia) (Author), Fifty years of Australian art 1879-1929, New South Wales, 1929, 17 (colour illus.).

'The founder of Impressionism in Australia'., Sydney mail 10 Jun 1926, 10 Jun 1926, (illus.). page unknown; see AGNSW Press Clippings Aug. 1925 - June 1927

Australian Exhibition Commission (Australia) (Author), Catalogue: British Empire Exhibition (Wembley) 1924, 1924, 97. titled 'The Golden Fleece'.

National Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874) (Author), Catalogue of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales 1906, Sydney, 1906, (illus.).

‘National Art Gallery: The Australian Court’ by Julian Ashton., Daily telegraph 27 Sep 1905, 27 Sep 1905, unknown (illus.).

The Bookfellow: a monthly magazinelet for book-buyers and book-readers [no. 4] 29 Apr 1899, 29 Apr 1899, 28.

National Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874) (Author), Catalogue of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales 1899, Sydney, 1899, 45 (sepia illus.). titled 'The Golden Fleece'; cat.no. 246

'Australian art in London', pg. 7., The Sydney Morning Herald 12 May 1898, 12 May 1898, unknown. Review of Australian painting exhibition held at Grafton Gallery, London.

'Art Society's exhibition', pg. 3., The Sydney Morning Herald 28 Sep 1894, 28 Sep 1894, 3. titled 'Shearing at Newstead'

Royal Art Society of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1880) (Author), Art Society of New South Wales Fifteenth Annual Exhibition Catalogue, 1894, 30 (illus., detail). titled 'Shearing at Newstead'; cat.no. 300; priced £275.0.0

National Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874) (Author), Catalogue of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales 1893, Sydney, 1893. titled 'The Golden Fleece - Shearing at Newstead'; cat.no. 431

Exhibition history (18)

Fifteenth Annual Exhibition of the Art Society of New South Wales (1894), York Street Skating Rink, Sep 1894 -.

Exhibition of Australian art in London (1898), Grafton Galleries, 02 Apr 1898–31 Jul 1898.

The Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 20 Feb 1915–04 Dec 1915.

British Empire Exhibition (1924), Empire Stadium, 23 Apr 1924–Oct 1925.

A retrospective exhibition of Australian painting, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 25 Sep 1953–25 Oct 1953.

European masters and Australian painting from Australian collections, The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, 02 Oct 1979 -.

European masters and Australian painting from Australian collections, State Hermitage Museum, 04 Dec 1979 -.

Two centuries of Australian painting, a selection from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Orange Regional Gallery, 19 Apr 1986–15 Jun 1986.

Art Treasures of Olympic Cities, Lausanne Olympic Museum, 22 Jun 1993–03 Oct 1993.

Wool in the Australian Imagination, Hyde Park Barracks, 23 Nov 1994–01 May 1995.

Tom Roberts (1996-1997), Art Gallery of South Australia, 05 Oct 1996–17 Nov 1996.

Tom Roberts (1996-1997), Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, 30 Nov 1996–27 Jan 1997.

Tom Roberts (1996-1997), National Gallery of Victoria [St Kilda Road], 12 Feb 1997–06 Apr 1997.

Tom Roberts (1996-1997), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 19 Apr 1997–01 Jun 1997.

Tom Roberts (1996-1997), Art Gallery of Western Australia, 11 Jun 1997–27 Jul 1997.

Australian icons: twenty artists from the collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 04 Aug 2000–03 Dec 2000.

Living on the land: Works from the Howard Hinton Collection, New England Regional Art Museum, 30 Apr 2004–30 May 2004.

Australian Impressionism, Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, 31 Mar 2007–08 Jul 2007.