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Other titles
Shearing at Newstead (The Golden Fleece)
Golden Fleece (Shearing at Newstead)
Shearing at Newstead
The Golden Fleece: shearing at Newstead
Painting
oil on canvas
104.0 x 158.7cm stretcher; 134.5 x 189.0 x 9.5cm frame
Purchased 1894
648
Art Gallery of NSW, Ground Level, Australian Art 19th Century Galleries, Court 9B
Further information
'It seems to me that the best words spoken to an artist is, "Paint what you love, and love what you paint", and on that I have worked; and so it came that being in the bush and feeling the delight and fascination of the great pastoral life and work I have tried to express it ... a subject noble enough and worthy enough if I could express the meaning and spirit - of strong, masculine labour, the patience of the animals whose year's growth is being stripped from them for man's use, and the great human interest of the whole scene.'
- Tom Roberts, 1890
Roberts painted 'The Golden Fleece' in 1894 whilst staying with his friend, Duncan Anderson at Newstead Station, near Inverell in the New England tablelands of northern New South Wales. His first picture on this subject, Shearing the rams, was painted in 1888-90. These pastoral-life paintings by Roberts are essentially history paintings, capturing vanishing traditions such as the use of manual shears in nineteenth century shearing sheds.
Originally called 'Shearing at Newstead', this painting was renamed in homage to the wool industry and the nobility of the shearers. The title references the Greek myth in which the Argonauts voyage to the end of the known world in order to bring back the Golden Fleece. The title reflects Roberts' conscious and generalised heroisation of the rural worker and his evocation of Australia as a new, Arcadian land of pastoral plenty.
Bibliography
Newspaper; The Sydney Morning Herald; Paul McGeough (Australia); 14 Mar 2009, (colour illus.) unknown, 'Shedding new light on a historic work of art' by Steve Meacham.
Exhibition catalogue; Sydney Long: Pan; Denise Mimmocchi (Australia); 2009, 6, 7, 'Sydney Long: Pan' by Denise Mimmocchi, pg. 1-12.
Scholarly/Book; SÅ FRÄMMANDA DET LIKA: Samisk konst i ljuset av religion och globalisering; Sigurd Bergmann (Germany; Norway); 2009, 355 (illus.), 'X Konst som kreativ dekolonialisering: fyra teman i den australiska diskursen', pg. 335-362., fig.no. 10.15
Auction catalogue; Sotheby's Melbourne: Important Australian Art, 25 & 26 August 2008; Editor Unknown; 2008, 47, 48 (colour illus.), NOTE: Related work 'Shearing shed, Newstead' lot 20.
Reference book; Art of Australia. Vol. 1: Exploration to Federation; John McDonald (Australia, b.1961); 2008, 580, 581 (colour illus.), ‘Individual and national feeling’, pg. 545-610.
Exhibition catalogue; Australian Impressionism; Terence Lane; 2007, 286-287, 345, 293 (colour illus.), 'National Naturalism' by David Hansen, pg. 281-287., cat.no. 15.6
General/Book; Tom Roberts Festival 2006: Heritage tour; Ann Hodgens (Australia); 2006, 3, 21, 30, 31 (illus.)
Manuscript; The people in the paintings: a research report for the Art Gallery of New South Wales; Ann Hodgens (Australia); 2006, 1, 2, 5-36, 6 (colour illus.)
Educational/Book; Society and environment for Western Australia 2; Maggy Saldais (Australia); 2005, 36 (colour illus.), 'Australian perspective', pg. 36-39.
Scholarly/Book; Radical revisionism: an anthology of writings on Australian art; Rex Butler; 2005, 47 (colour illus.), 171, 172, 'Tom Roberts: "Where the sun never set"', pg. 163-174., figure no. 19
General/Periodical; Outback; Mark Muller (Australia); Jun 2004-Jul 2004, 75, 'Legends of the outback: Australian painters inspired by the bush' by John Dunn, pg. 72-78.
Educational/Book; SOSE alive 3; Denis Young (Australia, active 2004); 2004, 84 (colour illus.), 'Australian perspectives', pg. 84-87.
Manuscript; The families of William Henry Lowe and Keziah Lowe nee Mansfield of Inverell - Swanvale - Glen Innies: compiled by their grandchildren; Val Sharp (Australia), Doug Colley (Australia); 2003-2004, 1 (colour illus.), William Henry Lowe is the shearer standing third on the left in the painting 'The Golden Fleece'. This family history was compiled by his grandchildren, Val Sharp (Newcastle) and Doug Colley, 2003-2004.
Scholarly/Book; Transformations in Australian art: The nineteenth century - landscape, colony and nation [Volume One]; Terry Smith; 2002, 84, 87, 95, 97 (illus.), 98-99, 'The divided meaning of 'Shearing the Rams': artists and nationalism, 1888-1895', pg. 66-106., fig.no. 3.12
Newspaper; The Sydney Morning Herald; Paul McGeough (Australia); 09 Jan 2001, 3, 'Tom's people' by Andrew Stephenson, pg. 3., NOTE: page 3 of Summer Metropolitan section
Educational/Book; 1901: Australian life at federation: an illustrated chronicle; Aedeen Cremin; 2001, 53 (colour illus.), 'Riding on the sheep's back: the wool industry', pg. 51-57.
Exhibition catalogue; Tom Roberts Art Exhibition. Tom Roberts Festival 2001; Inverell Art Gallery (Australia); 2001, 11
Scholarly/Book; Ecological pioneers: a social history of Australian ecological thought and action; Stuart Hill (Australia, b.1943), Martin Mulligan (Australia); 2001, 48, 'Seeing the land in a new light: people and landscapes in Australian art', pg. 34-71.
Scholarly/Periodical; Art Monthly Australia; Philippa Kelly (Australia); Sep 2000, 21, 'Positions vacant' by Humphrey McQueen, pg. 21-23., review of 'Australian icons' exhibition
Newspaper; The Weekend Australian; Campbell Reid (Australia, active 1997-2001); 12 Aug 2000-13 Aug 2000, 2 (colour illus.), 'Time makes its judgment' by Barry Pearce, pg. 2-3., This colour supplement is a 'Review Special' published for the 'Weekend Australian'. It consists of a four-page, colour wrap-around for the 'Weekend Australian Review'. 'The Australian' was the media sponsor for the AGNSW Exhibition 'Australian Icons', for the Olympic Arts Festival 2000.
Newspaper; The Sydney Morning Herald; Paul McGeough (Australia); 04 Aug 2000, page unknown, 'Great art starts with the framework' by Ali Gripper., Article about restoration of frames for the 'Australian Icons' exhibition and features a photograph of Installation Crew with 'Holiday in Essex'.
Periodical; Australian artist; Editor Unknown; Aug 2000, 5 (colour illus.), 'Australian Icons at the Art Gallery of New South Wales', pg, 4-5.
Periodical; Australian art collector; Susan Borham, Michael Hutak; Apr 2000-Jun 2000, 98 (colour illus.), 'Eye for an eye: the art of appreciation' by John McPhee, pg. 98-101.
Exhibition catalogue; Federation: Australian art and society 1901-2001; John McDonald (Australia, b.1961); 2000, 103, 'Weighing the fleece' by Annette Tapp, pg. 103.
Periodical; Artist's palette; Editor Unknown; 2000, 57 (colour illus.), 'Icons on show' by Rob Ditessa', pg. 54-59.
Book; Australian art: in the Art Gallery of New South Wales; Barry Pearce (Australia); 2000, 13, 37-38, 60 (colour illus.), 302, 'Introduction' by Barry Pearce, pg. 10-16; 'Golden age' by Vivienne Webb, pg. 37-38.
Educational kit; Aspects of Australian art; Ursula Prunster (Australia), Jonathan Cooper (Australia); 2000, (colour illus.), card no. 2: Tom Roberts 'The Golden Fleece' 1894
Periodical; Heritage NSW; Lianne Hall; Oct 1999, 14 (colour illus.), 'Conservation of a woolshed', pg. 14., Special focus on rural heritage in NSW and the conservation of the Newstead North woolshed where Tom Roberts set 'The Golden Fleece'.
General/Book; Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook; Bruce James (Australia), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940); 1999, 118 (colour illus.), 'Australian Collection: Painting and Sculpture' by Bruce James, pg. 102-181.
Scholarly/Book; White Aborigines; Ian McLean (Australia); 1998, 62, 63 (illus.), 'The Bad Conscience of Impression', pg. 52-73.
Exhibition catalogue; Southern Reflections: 10 contemporary Australian artists; Louise Sweetland (Australia), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940), Elizabeth Cross (Australia, b.1943), Barry Pearce (Australia); 1998, 36 (colour illus.), 'An Introduction to Australian Art' by Barry Pearce, pg. 34-42., fig.no. 5
Book; Eyewitness travel guides: Australia; Zoë Ross; 1998, 107 (colour illus.), 'Botanic gardens and the domain', pg. 100-111.
Book; Art Connections; Jenny Aland, Max Darby; 1998, 49 (colour illus.), 'An example of writing using the social and cultural analysis plan', pg. 50-52.
Periodical; Australia Explored by the Great South Pacific Express; Shirley Sherwood (Australia); 1998, 34 (colour illus.), 'Arts of Australia', pg. 32-35.
Newspaper; The Australian; Malcolm Schmidtke (Australia, active 1995-1997); 11 Dec 1996, 14-15, 'Review of Books' by Bruce James.
Newspaper; The Australian; Malcolm Schmidtke (Australia, active 1995-1997); 28 Sep 1996, 24, 26-27
Newspaper; The Sydney Morning Herald; Editor Unknown; 13 Apr 1996, 11 (illus.), 'Shear genius: festival goes for gold' by Geraldine O'Brien, pg. 11.
Supplement/Newspaper; Good Weekend; Anne Summers; 24 Feb 1996, 33, 36 (colour illus.), 37, 39, 'Tom Roberts Bailed Up' by Janet Hawley, pg. 32-39
General/Book; Tom Roberts; Humphrey McQueen; 1996, 382-3, 388, 433-4
Educational/Book; Economic Activity: Issues and Economies; Bell, John McConnell; 1996, 273
Program; Tom Roberts; Author Unknown; 1996, back (colour illus.)
Exhibition catalogue; Wool in the Australian imagination; Author Unknown; 1994, (illus.)
General/Book; The Art Gallery of New South Wales collections; Ewen McDonald (Australia); 1994, 8, 16 (colour illus.), 'From Colonialism to late Modernism', pg. 7-106.
General/Book; Work through the eyes of artists.; Wendy Richardson; 1993, 36 (illus.)
Exhibition catalogue; 10 Masterpieces of Australian Painting; Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940); 1993, (colour illus.)
Exhibition catalogue; Art treasures: candidate citites for the 2000 Olympic Games: Beijing, Berlin, Brasilia, Istanbul, Manchester, Sydney; David Malouf (Australia), Barry Pearce (Australia), Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia, b.1946), Patricia McDonald, Hetti Perkins (Australia); 1993, 166, 167 (colour illus.), 'The Golden Fleece - shearing at Newstead' by Barry Pearce, pg. 166., cat.no. 4 Sydney
General/Book; Veranda: Embracing Place; Philip Drew; 1992, 151-2 (colour illus.)
Exhibition catalogue; Stampede of the Lower Gods: Classical Mythology in Australian Art; Deborah Edwards (Australia); Sep 1989, 31, 'The Antipodean Arcady / 'When Pan purloined Apollo's lyre'' by Deborah Edwards, pg. 8-31.
General/Book; Art Gallery of New South Wales Handbook; Annabel Davie; 1988, 18 (illus.), 'Australian' by Barry Pearce, pg. 13-35.
Exhibition catalogue; Two centuries of Australian painting: a selection from the Art Gallery of New South Wales; Deborah Edwards (Australia); 1986, front cover (colour illus.), 9, 21, 'Introduction' by Deborah Edwards, pg. 8-14., cat.no. 11; titled 'The Golden Fleece: shearing at Newstead'
Scholarly/Book; Tom Roberts 1856-1931: a catalogue raisonné. Volume 1 - Text; Helen Topliss (Australia); 1985, cover (colour illus.), 130-31
Educational/Book; City bushmen: the Heidelberg school and the rural mythology; Leigh Astbury (b.1950); 1985, 122, 124-125, plate no. 20
Scholarly/Book; Tom Roberts 1856-1931: a catalogue raisonné. Volume 2 - Plates; Helen Topliss (Australia); 1985, plate no. 98
Educational/Book; Images in opposition: Australian landscape painting 1801-1890; Tim Bonyhady (b.1957); 1985, 150, 'Contrasting lights', pg.135-154.
Scholarly/Book; Seeing the first Australians; Ian Donaldson (b.1935), Tasmin Donaldson (b.1939); 1985, 112, 113 (illus.), 124, 'Tom Roberts' Aboriginal portraits' by Helen Topliss, pg.110-136., plate no. 8.3
General/Book; Encyclopedia of Australian Art (Vol.1, A-K); Alan McCulloch (Australia, b.1907, d.1992); 1984, 604-605
Book; Portrait of a Gallery; Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940), Jan Meek (Australia); 1984, 34, 36 (colour illus.), 'Australian Art in the Old Courts', pg. 24-37.
Scholarly/Book; Australian impressionist painters: a pictorial history of the Heidelberg school; William Splatt, Susan Bruce; 1981, 88, plate no. 57
Scholarly/Book; Australian art and architecture: essays presented to Bernard Smith; Terry Smith, Anthony Bradley (b.1936); 1980, 78, 79 (illus.), 82, 'Ashton, Roberts and Bayliss: some relationships between illustration, painting and photography in the late nineteenth century' by Nigel Lendon, pg. 71-82.
Exhibition catalogue; Old master paintings from the USSR: A survey of four centuries of European art. Report; Australian Gallery Directors Council (Australia); 1979, cat.no. 56
Newspaper; Daily Mirror; Editor Unknown; 20 Jul 1978, 24, 'Artist gave life to spirit of Australian bush', pg. 24.
Scholarly/Book; Tom Roberts; Virginia Spate (Australia); 1978, 70, 81 (colour illus.), 92-94, 149, plate no. 25
General/Periodical; Parade; Editor Unknown; Apr 1973, 25, 26, 27, 'Tom Roberts: father of Australian landscape painting', pg. 25-27.
General/Book; 100 masterpieces of Australian painting; William Splatt, Barbara Burton; 1973, 74, 75 (colour illus.), plate no. 34
Scholarly/Book; The art of Australia; Robert Hughes (Australia; United States of America, b.1938); 1970, 57
General/Periodical; Art Gallery of New South Wales Quarterly (Vol. 10, No. 4); Editor Unknown; Jul 1969, 472 (illus.), 473, 'Tom Roberts' by Daniel Thomas, pg. 466-487.
Book; Art Gallery of New South Wales Quarterley; Editor Unknown; Jul 1969, 472-73 (illus.)
Scholarly/Book; The golden age of Australian painting - Impressionism and the Heidelberg school; Alan McCulloch (Australia, b.1907, d.1992), John Henshaw (New Zealand; Australia, b.1929, d.2006); 1969, 62 (colour illus.)
Book; Paintings of Tom Roberts; Robert Richmond Campbell (Australia, b.1902, d.1972); 1962, 5
Book; A selection of eighty-two reproductions mainly from the Australian Collection and including examples from the British, French and Dutch [Art Gallery of New South Wales].; Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874); 1959, (colour illus.), plate no. 7
Book; A catalogue of Australian oil paintings in the National Art Gallery of New South Wales 1875-1952; Bernard Smith (Australia, b.1916); 1953, 175, 176, This work is titled 'The Golden Fleece' (called 'Shearing at Newstead' in the Cat. of the Art Soc. of N.S.W. An. Ex. 1894).
Exhibition catalogue; A retrospective exhibition of Australian painting; Hal Missingham (Australia, b.1906, d.1994); 1953, cat.no. 61
Periodical; Art in Australia [series 3, no. 70]; Editor Unknown; Mar 1938, 40 (illus.)
Exhibition catalogue; 150 years of Australian art; Lionel Lindsay (Australia, b.1874, d.1961); 1938, cat.no. 4, titled 'The golden fleece (Shearing at Newstead, N.S.W.' [Gallery No. 1]
Book; Tom Roberts: father of Australian landscape painting; Robert Croll (Australia, b.1867, d.1947); 1935, 32
General/Book; Fifty years of Australian art 1879-1929; George Galway (Australia); 1929, 17 (colour illus.)
Newspaper; Sydney mail; Editor Unknown; 10 Jun 1926, (illus.), 'The founder of Impressionism in Australia'., page unknown; see AGNSW Press Clippings Aug. 1925 - June 1927
Exhibition catalogue; Catalogue: British Empire Exhibition (Wembley) 1924; Australian Exhibition Commission (Australia); 1924
Exhibition catalogue; Catalogue of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales 1906; National Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874); 1906, (illus.)
Newspaper; Daily telegraph; Editor Unknown; 27 Sep 1905, unknown (illus.), ‘National Art Gallery: The Australian Court’ by Julian Ashton.
Scholarly/Periodical; The Bookfellow: a monthly magazinelet for book-buyers and book-readers [no. 4]; AG Stephens; 29 Apr 1899, 28
Exhibition catalogue; Catalogue of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales 1899; National Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874); 1899, 45 (sepia illus.), cat.no. 246. This work is titled 'The Golden Fleece'.
Newspaper; The Sydney Morning Herald; Editor Unknown; 12 May 1898, unknown, 'Australian art in London', NOTE: Review of Australian painting exhibition held at Grafton Gallery, London.
Exhibition catalogue; Art Society of New South Wales Fifteenth Annual Exhibition Catalogue; Royal Art Society of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1880); 1894, 30 (illus., detail), cat.no. 300, titled 'Shearing at Newstead', price £275.0.0
Exhibition catalogue; Catalogue of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales 1893; National Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874); 1893, cat.no. 431. Australian Court-Supplement, titled 'The Golden Fleece - Shearing at Newstead'.
Minutes book; Trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales: Minutes 1.9.1891-4.5.1898; Trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia); 1891-1898, 26 September 1894, 31 October 1894, 20 November 1894, 13 October 1897, no catalogue nubmers; Lent by the Trustees of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales
Exhibition venue
Title: Australian Impressionism
Organizer: Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia
Venue: Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia
Opening: 31 Mar 2007
Closing: 08 Jul 2007
Curator: Smith, Geoffrey
Lane, Terence
Title: Living on the land: Works from the Howard Hinton Collection
Organizer: New England Regional Art Museum
Venue: New England Regional Art Museum
Opening: 30 Apr 2004
Closing: 30 May 2004
Title: Australian icons: twenty artists from the collection
Organizer: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Venue: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Opening: 04 Aug 2000
Closing: 03 Dec 2000
Curator: Pearce, Barry
Title: Tom Roberts (1996-1997)
Organizer: Art Gallery of South Australia
Venue: Art Gallery of Western Australia
Opening: 11 Jun 1997
Closing: 27 Jul 1997
Curator: Radford, Ron
Venue: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Opening: 19 Apr 1997
Closing: 01 Jun 1997
Curator: Radford, Ron
Venue: National Gallery of Victoria [St Kilda Road]
Opening: 12 Feb 1997
Closing: 06 Apr 1997
Curator: Radford, Ron
Venue: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Opening: 30 Nov 1996
Closing: 27 Jan 1997
Curator: Radford, Ron
Venue: Art Gallery of South Australia
Opening: 05 Oct 1996
Closing: 17 Nov 1996
Curator: Radford, Ron
Title: Wool in the Australian Imagination
Organizer: Hyde Park Barracks
Venue: Hyde Park Barracks
Opening: 23 Nov 1994
Closing: 01 May 1995
Title: Art Treasures of Olympic Cities
Organizer: Lausanne Olympic Museum
Venue: Lausanne Olympic Museum
Opening: 22 Jun 1993
Closing: 03 Oct 1993
Title: Two centuries of Australian painting, a selection from the Art Gallery of New South Wales
Organizer: Orange Regional Gallery
Venue: Orange Regional Gallery
Opening: 19 Apr 1986
Closing: 15 Jun 1986
Notes: cat.no. 11
Title: European masters and Australian painting from Australian collections
Organizer: Art Gallery of New South Wales
National Gallery of Victoria [Swanston Street]
Venue: State Hermitage Museum
Opening: 04 Dec 1979
Curator: Pearce, Barry
Notes: cat.no. 56
Venue: The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts
Opening: 02 Oct 1979
Curator: Pearce, Barry
Notes: cat.no. 56
Title: A retrospective exhibition of Australian painting
Organizer: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Venue: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Opening: 25 Sep 1953
Closing: 25 Oct 1953
Notes: cat.no. 61
Title: British Empire Exhibition (1924)
Venue: Empire Stadium
Opening: 23 Apr 1924
Closing: Oct 1925
Title: The Panama-Pacific International Exposition
Opening: 20 Feb 1915
Closing: 04 Dec 1915
Title: Exhibition of Australian art in London (1898)
Organizer: Grafton Galleries
Venue: Grafton Galleries
Opening: 02 Apr 1898
Closing: 31 Jul 1898
Notes: cat.no. 102
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