Restoration of 4 Tom Roberts Sketchbooks
State Library of NSW

Renowned Australian artist Tom Roberts (1856–1931) was one of the founders of the Heidelberg School that dominated Australian painting during the late 1800s.

Throughout his working life, Roberts entrusted his travel sketches, compositional ideas, head and figure studies, landscape studies, doodles and notations to the sketchbooks he always carried with him.

Fifteen of Roberts’ sketchbooks, held in the Mitchell Library collection, were in a very fragile condition, requiring extensive treatment. The Nelson Meers Foundation assisted in the funding of paper repairs, resewing the sketchbooks, and repair of the spine and corner repair of covers. Each sketchbook will be boxed in a clamshell box providing complete protection from wear and tear.

Why did we choose to fund this project? Tom Roberts' sketchbooks not only pay homage to the history and development of Australian art but also offer invaluable insight into the artistic process. We believe that by valuing this, we are helping to maintain the wonderful lineage of Australian artists.

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