‘Watercolour in Queensland’
Mar 2014 -
Jul 2014

‘Transparent: Watercolour in Queensland 1850s–1980s’ demonstrates the enduring appeal of watercolour as a medium with 150 works from the Gallery's Collection. Used by early settlers to depict the landscape, by later artists to evoke the growing city of Brisbane and by wartime artists to record daily activities, watercolour is portable and adaptable, perfect for capturing quick impressions.
The exhibition follows the early colonial era and late nineteenth century into modern developments in the early twentieth century, the challenges of World War Two, and the development of a local strain of expressionism, while Joe Rootsey’s watercolours showed the powerful connection of Aboriginal Australians with the land. Other artists featured in this exhibition include Conrad Martens, Harriet Jane Neville-Rolfe, JJ Hilder, Vida Lahey, Kenneth Macqueen, WG Grant and Joy Roggenkamp.
‘Transparent’ presents the first comprehensive survey of the Gallery's watercolour collection, bringing to light many never before displayed works from the mid nineteenth century to the 1980s. The beautifully illustrated publication includes a curatorial overview of the artworks, a conservator's insight into fine artist papers and biographical notes on the artists.
‘Transparent: Watercolour in Queensland 1850s–1980s’ was on display at QAG from 22 March to 20 July 2014.
Feature image: Kenneth Macqueen / Australia NSW 1897–1960 / Harvesting scene (detail) c.1956 / Watercolour over pencil on wove paper / Purchased 1956 / Collection: QAGOMA / © QAGOMA
Collection artworks featured in ‘Watercolour in Queensland’

Thursday Island pub 1943
- ANNAND, Douglas - Creator

Surfing beach, Kiama 1945
- ANNAND, Douglas - Creator

Coomera River 1899
- BODE, Edwin - Creator

Seaside scrub 1925
- BUSTARD, William - Creator

(Farm landscape) c.1930s
- BUSTARD, William - Creator

The barn 1939
- BUSTARD, William - Creator

Sidney House 1890
- CAMPBELL, John - Creator

Brisbane from Camp Hill 1951
- CAMPBELL, Robert - Creator

Shadow pattern c.1953
- GIBBS, C.G. - Creator

Study of a man
- GIBSON, Bessie - Creator

Portrait of a girl c.1897?
- GIBSON, Bessie - Creator

Church scene c.1920s
- GIBSON, Bessie - Creator

The brown jug c.1928
- GIBSON, Bessie - Creator

The black hat c.1937
- GIBSON, Bessie - Creator

Restful moments c.1954-55
- GIBSON, Bessie - Creator

The yellow gown c.1940-46
- GRANT, W.G. - Creator

Boats 1945
- GRANT, W.G. - Creator

Girl with goat c.1945-51
- GRANT, W.G. - Creator

Chinamen's huts, Cairns 1946
- GRANT, W.G. - Creator

Venetian blinds c.1946-51
- GRANT, W.G. - Creator

Woman with blue parasol c.1950
- GRANT, W.G. - Creator

Darwin Harbour 1942
- GREEN, Douglas - Creator

Draughting room c.1942
- GREEN, Douglas - Creator

Recce 1943
- GREEN, Douglas - Creator

(Storm cloud) c.1943
- GREEN, Douglas - Creator

Moon in the swamp 1909
- HILDER, J.J. - Creator

Kedron (Brisbane) 1910
- HILDER, J.J. - Creator

Landscape near Carlingford 1910
- HILDER, J.J. - Creator

The timbergetters 1912
- HILDER, J.J. - Creator

Sketch at Bay Road 1913
- HILDER, J.J. - Creator

Through the trees 1913
- HILDER, J.J. - Creator

The bridge 1914
- HILDER, J.J. - Creator

The two barrows c.1914
- HILDER, J.J. - Creator

Launch at anchor c.1915
- HILDER, J.J. - Creator

Caloundra 1937
- HOBDAY, Percy Stanhope - Creator

Brisbane street scene c.1945
- HOPE, Laurence - Creator

(The lovers) c.1947
- HOPE, Laurence - Creator

Brisbane street c.1912
- LAHEY, Vida - Creator

Building the bridge 1931
- LAHEY, Vida - Creator

The new bridge 1931
- LAHEY, Vida - Creator

The cretonne curtain 1933
- LAHEY, Vida - Creator

Art and nature 1934
- LAHEY, Vida - Creator

On the Thames 1937
- McKIE, Travis Ian - Creator

Green trees 1945
- McKIE, Travis Ian - Creator

Weathercock Farm 1925
- MACQUEEN, Kenneth - Creator

Ploughing the boundary 1928
- MACQUEEN, Kenneth - Creator

Hills and dam c.1930
- MACQUEEN, Kenneth - Creator

(Cattle and creek) 1931
- MACQUEEN, Kenneth - Creator

The Five Mile Creek c.1939
- MACQUEEN, Kenneth - Creator

Mingimarny Creek c.1939
- MACQUEEN, Kenneth - Creator

Contour ploughing c.1945
- MACQUEEN, Kenneth - Creator

Morning ride c.1946
- MACQUEEN, Kenneth - Creator

(Flying cloud) c.1950
- MACQUEEN, Kenneth - Creator

The tank c.1950
- MACQUEEN, Kenneth - Creator

Harvesting scene c.1956
- MACQUEEN, Kenneth - Creator

Brisbane c.1852
- MARTENS, Conrad - Creator

Coochin Run 1854
- MARTENS, Conrad - Creator

Killarney, Canning Downs 1854
- MARTENS, Conrad - Creator

Franklyn Vale c.1854
- MARTENS, Conrad - Creator

Brisbane 1855
- MARTENS, Conrad - Creator

Forest, Cunningham's Gap 1856
- MARTENS, Conrad - Creator

Circus tent 1951
- MILLER, Shirley - Creator

Sand mining country I 1967
- MOUNTCASTLE, Robyn - Creator

Self portrait c.1888
- MÜNTZ-ADAMS, Josephine - Creator

Tina Loot c.1883
- NEVILLE-ROLFE, Harriet Jane - Creator

Mt Coonowrin c.1889
- OWEN, George Seymour - Creator

The Island boat 1938-39
- PARKINSON, Roy - Creator

The coast of Terrigal c.1945
- PARKINSON, Roy - Creator

Wild cotton c.1964
- PEDERSEN, Lilian - Creator

Study for trees 1946
- PICKUP, Jack - Creator

Lake Terranora 1987
- PILGRIM, Thomas - Creator

Blue Knob, Murwillumbah 1988
- PILGRIM, Thomas - Creator

Currumbin Valley 1989
- PILGRIM, Thomas - Creator

Valley of the Maroochy c.1938-40
- POTTS, F.W. - Creator

Mount Coot-tha c.1892
- RAYMENT, Robert S. - Creator

Inner city drama c.1960s
- ROGGENKAMP, Joy - Creator

Currimundi c.1972
- ROGGENKAMP, Joy - Creator

(Coastal landscape) c.1954
- ROOTSEY, Joe - Creator

(Creek) c.1954
- ROOTSEY, Joe - Creator

(Landscape) c.1954
- ROOTSEY, Joe - Creator

Long Beach c.1954
- ROOTSEY, Joe - Creator

(Waterfall) c.1954
- ROOTSEY, Joe - Creator

(Waterfall) c.1954
- ROOTSEY, Joe - Creator

(Waterfall) c.1954
- ROOTSEY, Joe - Creator

(Cape Melville lava rocks) 1958
- ROOTSEY, Joe - Creator

(Trees) c.1939
- ROSENSTENGEL, Paula - Creator

Albion Pottery kiln 1927
- SHELDON, Vincent - Creator

Sunday morning 1927
- SHELDON, Vincent - Creator

The kitchen door 1932
- SHELDON, Vincent - Creator

Seaside trees c.1940s
- SHERRIN, Frank - Creator

Beach houses 1941
- SMITH, Frank William (Will) - Creator

Sea lyric c.1941
- SMITH, Frank William (Will) - Creator

The lovers' rock, Tweed Heads
- TEBBITT, Henri - Creator

Native scouts c.1944-45
- WIENEKE, James - Creator

Saltwater lagoon 1911
- WIRTH, LWK - Creator
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Watercolour in Queensland 1850s–1980s
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