Paintings from the Collection
More than 300 original artworks from the Library’s unique collection of landscape and portrait paintings on permanent public display.
Exhibition Information
Conrad Martens and George Edwards Peacock: Sydney artists
Convict artists in the time of Governor Macquarie
Many used their art to record and interpret the landscape and people of the early settlement.
‘A degree of neatness & regularity’: part of the Works in Focus series
Sydney — Capital New South Wales was painted around 1800 — its solid buildings and carefully laid out gardens refute the idea that it was a cesspit of depravity at a time when the city was associated with 'the awful depravity of human nature'.
An unknown warrior: mysterious portrait of an unknown, handsome young Aboriginal man
This mysterious portrait of an unknown, handsome young Aboriginal man is believed to have belonged to Governor Lachlan Macquarie, described as ‘One of the NSW Aborigines befriended by Governor Macquarie’. Part of the Works in Focus series.
Americans on campus: part of the Works in Focus series
Sydney Teacher’s College was co-located on the grounds of Sydney University where American Military Police units were billeted, describing the impact of the Americans on campus. Part of the Works in Focus series.
A hint of eccentricity: a beautifully rendered, somewhat playful portrait
One of Australia’s most influential artists, George Washington Lambert (1873–1930), as part of the Works in Focus series.
After life: Maurice Felton’s portrait of 21-year-old Sophia
Looking at the portrait of this young woman, so full of life, you would never think it was painted after her death. But we know the sitter, posed so serenely in this picture, had died six months before it was exhibited at the artist’s Sydney studio. Part of the Works in Focus series.
More than 300 original artworks from the Library’s unique collection of landscape and portrait paintings on permanent public display. The selected works range from the 1790s to today. The exhibition features portraits of the extraordinary and the everyday, rare and recent views of Sydney and the harbour, suburban streetscapes and burgeoning rural townscapes.
Each of these paintings offers a glimpse into the artist's world - how they saw it, or how they were commissioned to portray it. They are a window into the past, but they also prompt us to ask what, and who is not visible.
Captions and audio guides
Discover the stories behind the paintings on your own device.
Captions and audio guides are available at audio.sl.nsw.gov.au/paintings.
Visit Caption and Audio guides
Meet the curators
Louise Anemaat
Louise has published and lectured widely on the Library’s collections, and has worked closely with the acquisition, processing and curation of the manuscript and pictures collections over many years. She is the author of Natural Curiosity. Unseen art of the First Fleet (NewSouth Publishing, 2014), an analysis of the traditions of natural history art production in Australia and Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Richard Neville
With a research background in nineteenth century Australian art and culture, Richard has curated numerous exhibitions and published widely on colonial art and society. He has also been extensively involved in the acquisition, arrangement, description and promotion of the Library’s renowned Australian research collections.
Elise Edmonds
