Harper's Weekly 1889

Tom Roberts completed this oil on canvas painting, titled ‘Harper's Weekly’, sometime around 1886 in Australia. It depicts a woman intently reading, likely in her own home. The artwork’s title hints at a connection to the American illustrated periodical, Harper's Weekly, founded in 1857. This publication played a crucial role in shaping public opinion during the Civil War era and beyond. By the time Roberts painted this work, Harper's Weekly was an established and influential voice in American society. Perhaps the woman in the painting is reading this periodical? The painting raises interesting questions about the circulation of ideas and cultural influences in the late 19th century. Was the artist trying to make a comment on the social structures of his own time? Was he self-consciously conservative or progressive? Further research into Roberts' biography, the cultural landscape of Australia in the 1880s, and the readership of Harper's Weekly could shed more light on the painting's meaning. After all, the meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional context.