Commonwealth of Australia

Message from the Hon. Kim Beazley M.P.
Leader of the Federal Opposition

The Hon Kim Beazley MP

Australia as a relative young nation has been fortunate to have a rich foundation of significant painters such as Tom Roberts, Sir Arthur Streeton, Charles Conder, Clara Southern, Walter Withers, Frederick McCubbin, Albert Namatjira and many others to record our heritage and development as a country.

Tom Roberts painting 'The Big Picture' records the opening of Federal Parliament on May 9, 1901, and contains over 250 individual portraits. This painting is a major signpost of achievement for the artist and for Australia as a nation.

The preserving and archiving of the images and information related to this special occasion in our history on www.artistsfootsteps.com provides a unique insight into Tom Robert's life and work.

This site is a valuable resource which will not deteriorate with time and importantly is accessible to classrooms throughout Australia and the world.

By walking in the footsteps of some of our most famous artists', the visual social commentators of the time, as individuals we can catch a glimpse of the magic of their brush strokes and their passion for the Australian people and landscapes.

(Kim Beazley)

Left: Arthur Streeton - Above Us The Great Grave Sky, 1890
Collection: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.