FJ Martyn Roberts’s reputation as an artist was founded primarily on his watercolours, although, arguably, his most important achievement was as a teacher; he was also very active in the promotion of art in Brisbane. Roberts studied under Joseph Clare and R Godfrey Rivers and, for a short time in Sydney, under Julian Ashton. St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Brisbane belongs to the pre-Ashton period, but exhibits a liveliness not often seen in local work of the time. It also serves as an important document of the early years of the city.