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‘Isaac Walter Jenner: A Feeling for Light’
Sep 2023 - Jan 2024

Oil paintings installed on a sage-green gallery wall, with two young visitors looking on.

‘A Feeling for Light’ explored the evocative paintings of Isaac Walter Jenner (1836–1902), a self-taught marine and landscape painter. Following his arrival in Brisbane in 1883, Jenner spent the last two decades of his life as a major force in the city’s burgeoning cultural life, including as a founding member of the Queensland Art Society.

Alongside works on loan, ‘A Feeling for Light’ featured 27 works from QAGOMA’s Collection, including two paintings that underwent significant conservation treatment. Find out more in the special Collection Online feature.


‘Isaac Walter Jenner: A Feeling for Light’ was a free exhibition held in QAG’s Gallery 14 from 2 Sep 2023 to 28 Jan 2024.



Feature image: An installation view of ‘Isaac Walter Jenner: A Feeling for Light’, Gallery 14, QAG, September 2023 / Photograph: C Callistemon, QAGOMA

Collection artworks featured in ‘Isaac Walter Jenner: A Feeling for Light’

Artwork HMS Victory at Portsmouth this artwork made of Oil on academy board, created in 1876-01-01

HMS Victory at Portsmouth c.1881
Artwork (View of Brisbane) this artwork made of Oil on wood panel, created in 1885-01-01

(View of Brisbane) 1885
Artwork Hamilton Reach, Brisbane this artwork made of Oil on wood panel, created in 1885-01-01

Hamilton Reach, Brisbane 1885
Artwork Sunset sea this artwork made of Pastel on paper, created in 1883-01-01

Sunset sea c.1888
Artwork Taking on the pilot this artwork made of Pastel on paper, created in 1883-01-01

Taking on the pilot c.1888
Artwork Sunset, Moreton Bay this artwork made of Pastel on paper, created in 1883-01-01

Sunset, Moreton Bay c.1888
Artwork Brisbane from Bowen Terrace, New Farm this artwork made of Oil on board, created in 1888-01-01

Brisbane from Bowen Terrace, New Farm 1888
Artwork Coast with fishermen this artwork made of Oil on composition board, created in 1891-01-01

Coast with fishermen 1891
Artwork (Bush landscape) this artwork made of Oil on composition board, created in 1891-01-01

(Bush landscape) 1891
Artwork Sunrise from Sandgate Beach, Humpy Bong in distance this artwork made of Oil on cardboard, created in 1892-01-01

Sunrise from Sandgate Beach, Humpy Bong in distance 1892
Artwork Cape Chudleigh, Coast of Labrador this artwork made of Oil on canvas on composition board, created in 1893-01-01

Cape Chudleigh, Coast of Labrador 1893, reworked 1895
Artwork Landscape, sunrise this artwork made of Oil on composition board, created in 1893-01-01

Landscape, sunrise 1893
Artwork Brisbane River, Garden Reach from near dry dock looking down river this artwork made of Oil on cardboard, created in 1894-01-01

Brisbane River, Garden Reach from near dry dock looking down river 1894
Artwork Brisbane River, view up the river opposite the Hamilton Hotel this artwork made of Oil on cardboard, created in 1894-01-01

Brisbane River, view up the river opposite the Hamilton Hotel 1894
Artwork Brisbane River, Bulimba Reach this artwork made of Oil on cardboard, created in 1894-01-01

Brisbane River, Bulimba Reach 1894
Artwork Brisbane River, from North Quay looking towards Toowong this artwork made of Oil on cardboard, created in 1894-01-01

Brisbane River, from North Quay looking towards Toowong 1894
Artwork Sketch for 'Slab cottage, Bowen Hills' this artwork made of Watercolour on paper, created in 1894-01-01

Sketch for 'Slab cottage, Bowen Hills' 1894
Artwork Slab cottage, Bowen Hills this artwork made of Oil on board, created in 1894-01-01

Slab cottage, Bowen Hills 1894
Artwork The 'Retribution' at Balaclava during the Crimean War this artwork made of Oil on canvas, created in 1895-01-01

The 'Retribution' at Balaclava during the Crimean War 1895
Artwork Serpentine Rocks, Scilly Isles, Lands End, England this artwork made of Watercolour and coloured chalks on paper, created in 1895-01-01

Serpentine Rocks, Scilly Isles, Lands End, England 1895
Artwork Queensland natives, the Currigee Oyster Company's Station, Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay this artwork made of Oil on canvas, created in 1897-01-01

Queensland natives, the Currigee Oyster Company's Station, Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay 1897
Artwork Kelly & Cussen's Pearl Shelling Station on Prince of Wales Island, Torres Straits this artwork made of Oil on canvas, created in 1897-01-01

Kelly & Cussen's Pearl Shelling Station on Prince of Wales Island, Torres Straits 1897
Artwork O'Hagan & McAlister's Pearl Shelling Station, Friday Island, Torres Straits this artwork made of Oil on canvas, created in 1897-01-01

O'Hagan & McAlister's Pearl Shelling Station, Friday Island, Torres Straits 1897
Artwork Seascape this artwork made of Oil on cardboard, created in 1898-01-01

Seascape 1898
Artwork River scene this artwork made of Oil on composition board, created in 1899-01-01

River scene 1899
Artwork Townsville this artwork made of Oil on canvas, created in 1890-01-01

Townsville c.1900
Artwork Tranquillity this artwork made of Oil on cardboard on composition board, created in 1896-01-01

Tranquillity c.1901

Related digital stories

A black-and-white photograph of an older man seated on a verandah in the late 1890s; he is smiling gently, and seated with his hand at an open book and with a small vase of roses at the table.
ISAAC WALTER JENNER

Meet Isaac Walter Jenner

Read BIOGRAPHY
In a close-up photograph, the hand of a conservator performs restoration work with a small paintbrush; the conservator wears fingerless blue latex gloves.
ISAAC WALTER JENNER

Revealing Jenner’s blue skies

Read ESSAY