Boat on Beach, Queenscliff 1886

Tom Roberts painted this oil on canvas, titled 'Boat on Beach, Queenscliff,' sometime during his career as an Australian impressionist. The image presents a scene that seems at first to be classically picturesque, a humble wooden boat and a figure in the landscape. But we need to situate this painting within the social and institutional history of Australian art. Roberts was a key figure in the Heidelberg School, a group of artists who advocated painting 'en plein air' – directly from nature. This was a conscious effort to create a distinctly Australian art, breaking away from European academic traditions. Roberts and his circle sought to capture the unique light and landscape of their country. In this context, a seemingly simple scene becomes a statement of national identity. By studying Roberts' biography and the writings of his contemporaries, we can understand his place in the development of a distinctly Australian artistic voice.