Lewin - Wild Art
Address: State Library of NSW
Sydney, NSW 2000
Monday 5 March to Sunday 27 May 2012
Lewin: Wild Art is about the life and times of John William Lewin (1770-1819), the first free professional artist to settle in Australia. Arriving in NSW in 1800 from London, Lewin's mission was to collect, draw and publish Australia's natural history for European audiences.
He landed in Sydney a conventional natural history artist, steeped in European traditions, but quickly developed his own unique and lively style. Specimens were clearly located in their natural habitat and strong diagonals animated his compositions. The challenge of confronting the new environment - where he found everything 'contrary to our knowledge in England' - inspired his beautifully observed illustrations, which are undoubtedly Australian.
The State Library of NSW holds the largest, indeed an unrivalled, collection of Lewin's art and books, with some 400 works.
Contact
- Contact Information
- www.sl.nsw.gov.au
- State Library of NSW
Sydney, NSW 2000 - Phone: (02) 9273 1414
sydney_sider: An eclectic clash of cultures, music, art& food. #Sydney’s Newtown taking vibrancy to a whole new level. http://t.co/Wi497kOE #Newtown
Wed, 23 May 2012sydney_sider: Follow the conversation for up to date info on Vivid 2012 at @VividSydney. #Sydney
Wed, 23 May 2012Escapes newsletter