Geelong Art Gallery
Encyclopedia
The Geelong Art Gallery is a major regional gallery
in the city of Geelong
in Victoria
, Australia
. The gallery has approximately 4,000 works of art in its collection. The gallery forms Geelong's Arts Precinct with the adjacent Geelong Performing Arts Centre
, Geelong Heritage Centre, Geelong Courthouse centre, and the Geelong Library.
was first petitioned for in 1895 by members of the Geelong Progress League. In May 1900 permission was given for the Geelong Art Gallery Association to use three walls in the Geelong Town Hall
to hang artwork on. Among the first acquisitions made was Frederick McCubbin
's 1890 A Bush Burial which cost 100 guineas ($210 USD) at the time. The gallery was soon moved to the Free Library Building in Moorabool Street (between Malop and Corio Streets).
between the Town Hall
and the former fire station (now the Geelong Regional Library). The initial building consisted of a portico
and vestibule
facing the park, and the G. M. Hitchcock Gallery.
The first additions to the gallery occurred in 1928 when the Henry P. Douglas Gallery was opened, followed by the H.F. Richardson Gallery in 1937. The main entrance to the gallery became Little Malop Street with the opening of the J.H. McPhillimy Gallery by then-Prime Minister Joseph Lyons
in 1938. Further expansion followed in 1956 and 1971.
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
in the city of Geelong
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The gallery has approximately 4,000 works of art in its collection. The gallery forms Geelong's Arts Precinct with the adjacent Geelong Performing Arts Centre
Geelong Performing Arts Centre
The Geelong Performing Arts Centre is a performing arts, functions, and events venue located in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The centre has two major theatres, a number of smaller performance spaces, and a bar, restaurant and cafe...
, Geelong Heritage Centre, Geelong Courthouse centre, and the Geelong Library.
History
An art gallery for GeelongGeelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
was first petitioned for in 1895 by members of the Geelong Progress League. In May 1900 permission was given for the Geelong Art Gallery Association to use three walls in the Geelong Town Hall
Geelong Town Hall
Geelong Town Hall is a civic building located on Gheringhap Street in central Geelong, Victoria. It was originally built for the City of Geelong, which became the City of Greater Geelong in 1993.-Construction:...
to hang artwork on. Among the first acquisitions made was Frederick McCubbin
Frederick McCubbin
Frederick McCubbin was an Australian painter who was prominent in the Heidelberg School, one of the more important periods in Australia's visual arts history....
's 1890 A Bush Burial which cost 100 guineas ($210 USD) at the time. The gallery was soon moved to the Free Library Building in Moorabool Street (between Malop and Corio Streets).
Building
The current Geelong Gallery was officially opened in 1915, and was erected as a memorial to the late George M. Hitchcock. It was located beside Johnstone ParkJohnstone Park, Geelong
Johnstone Park is a landscaped garden in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It is bounded by Railway Terrace, Gheringhap Street, Little Malop Street, Fenwick Street, and Mercer Street. The park is surrounded by civic buildings including the Geelong Town Hall, Geelong Art Gallery, Geelong Library,...
between the Town Hall
Geelong Town Hall
Geelong Town Hall is a civic building located on Gheringhap Street in central Geelong, Victoria. It was originally built for the City of Geelong, which became the City of Greater Geelong in 1993.-Construction:...
and the former fire station (now the Geelong Regional Library). The initial building consisted of a portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
and vestibule
Vestibule (architecture)
A vestibule is a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a building.The same term can apply to structures in modern or ancient roman architecture. In modern architecture vestibule typically refers to a small room or hall between an entrance and the interior of...
facing the park, and the G. M. Hitchcock Gallery.
The first additions to the gallery occurred in 1928 when the Henry P. Douglas Gallery was opened, followed by the H.F. Richardson Gallery in 1937. The main entrance to the gallery became Little Malop Street with the opening of the J.H. McPhillimy Gallery by then-Prime Minister Joseph Lyons
Joseph Lyons
Joseph Aloysius Lyons, CH was an Australian politician. He was Labor Premier of Tasmania from 1923 to 1928 and a Minister in the James Scullin government from 1929 until his resignation from the Labor Party in March 1931...
in 1938. Further expansion followed in 1956 and 1971.
Notable works
There are a number of notable artworks in the galleries collection:- Eugene von GuerardEugene von GuerardJohann Joseph Eugene von GuérardHis first name is variously spelled "Eugen", "Eugene", "Eugène", one source mentions "Jean" ; his surname is spelled "Guerard" or "Guérard". The most frequent combination is that used by the National Gallery of Australia: "Eugene von Guérard"...
's 1856 View of GeelongView of GeelongView Of Geelong is an 1856 oil painting on canvas by Eugene von Guerard. The painting is currently owned by the City of Greater Geelong after being purchased from English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber for $3.8M...
. - Frederick McCubbinFrederick McCubbinFrederick McCubbin was an Australian painter who was prominent in the Heidelberg School, one of the more important periods in Australia's visual arts history....
's 1890 A Bush Burial .