‘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