Brisbane: THEN
The Queensland Art Gallery first opened (as the Queensland National Art Gallery) in 1895 — in one room of Brisbane's then Town Hall. The rich and complex history of the land on which QAGOMA now stands, in Meanjin (Brisbane), stretches back thousands of years under the custodianship of the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples. The works listed below capture only a very recent set of colonial perspectives — views of Brisbane that contemporary artists increasingly seek to challenge, disrupt and give nuance to.
These works capture a 100-year snapshot of Brisbane, from the 1850s to the 1950s. For more contemporary depictions of the River City, visit Brisbane: Now.


Brisbane c.1852
- MARTENS, Conrad - Creator

Brisbane 1855
- MARTENS, Conrad - Creator

Fortitude Valley 1858
- DIGGLES, Silvester - Creator

Brisbane 1866
- BUVELOT, Louis - Creator

Sidney House 1890
- CAMPBELL, John - Creator

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

Under the jacaranda 1903
- RIVERS, R. Godfrey - Creator

(Brisbane panorama) 1910
- UNKNOWN - Creator

Brisbane street c.1912
- LAHEY, Vida - Creator

Brisbane street c.1914-17
- REES, Lloyd - Creator

River bank at Yeerongpilly c.1915
- REES, Lloyd - Creator

St. Brigid's, Red Hill 1917
- REES, Lloyd - Creator

(Brisbane scene) 1918
- SALVANA, John - Creator

Brisbane Cathedral 1920
- TRAILL, Jessie - Creator

Evening light 1927
- BUSTARD, William - Creator

The old Windmill c.1930
- PERCY, W.S. - Creator

Brisbane townscape 1928
- BUSTARD, William - Creator

Suburban street, Nundah c.1930s
- GRANT, W.G. - Creator

Customs House, Brisbane 1931
- BUSTARD, William - Creator

Wintry sunshine 1931-32
- LAHEY, Vida - Creator

City Hall tower 1932
- SHELDON, Vincent - Creator

Brisbane River 1932
- SHELDON, Vincent - Creator

Edward Street, Brisbane 1933
- SHELDON, Vincent - Creator

Girls' Grammar School 1936
- SHELDON, Vincent - Creator

Girls' Grammar School 1936
- SHELDON, Vincent - Creator

Queen Street, Brisbane 1936
- SHELDON, Vincent - Creator

Fig tree, Eagle Street 1936
- SHELDON, Vincent - Creator

Summer haze 1937
- BUSTARD, William - Creator

Newstead 1939
- SHELDON, Vincent - Creator

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

Back of house, Nundah c.1945-50
- GRANT, W.G. - Creator

Royal Exchange Hotel 1948
- BROWN, Vincent - Creator

Church at Sandgate c.1949
- ROGGENKAMP, Joy - Creator

Barnes Auto, Brisbane 1952
- BLACKMAN, Charles - Creator

Stradbroke ferry 1952
- BLACKMAN, Charles - Creator

City lights 1952
- BLACKMAN, Charles - Creator

Brisbane outskirts 1959
- GIBBS, C.G. - Creator