The 9 by 5 Impression Exhibition was an art exhibition in Melbourne, Australia. It opened on 17 August 1889 at Buxton's Rooms on Swanston Street and featured 183 works, the majority of which were painted by Charles Conder, Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton of the Heidelberg School art movement, also known as Australian impressionism. The exhibition's name references the dimensions of most of the paintings—9 by 5 inches (23 cm × 13 cm), the size of the cigar box lids upon which many of the works were painted—as well as the impressionist techniques employed by the artists.[1]
The majority of the 9 by 5s were painted over the autumn and winter of 1889, which is reflected in the tones and weather effects of many of the landscapes. The rural suburb of Heidelberg, where Streeton had established an artists' camp the previous year, is featured in many of the works. Melbourne's urban life and culture are also depicted, with landmarks such as Princess Theatre, the Old Treasury and the Burke and Wills statue making appearances, as well as the city's trams and games of Australian rules football.
The exhibition created much lively commentary at the time and is now seen as a "celebrated event in Australian art history".[1] 9 by 5s continue to appear on the market; in 2019, Roberts' She-Oak and Sunlight sold at Sotheby's for A$770,000.[2] In 2012, to mark the 123rd anniversary of the exhibition, arts benefactor Max Carter donated four 9 by 5s (valued at over A$3,000,000) to the Art Gallery of South Australia, the largest group of 9 by 5s ever given to an Australian public institution.[3]
Gallery of 9 by 5s
- Conder, All on a summer's day, 1888, National Gallery of Australia
- Conder, An Impressionist (Tom Roberts), 1889, Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Conder, Arcadia, 1889, private collection
- Conder, Centennial Choir at Sorrento, 1889, private collection
- Conder, Dandenongs from Heidelberg, 1889, Art Gallery of South Australia
- Conder, Going Home, 1889, National Gallery of Australia
- Conder, Herrick's Blossoms, 1888, National Gallery of Australia
- Conder, How We Lost Poor Flossie, 1889, Art Gallery of South Australia
- Conder, Impressionists' camp, 1889, National Gallery of Australia
- Conder, Riddell's Creek, 1889, National Gallery of Australia
- Conder, The Three Cows, 1889, private collection
- Conder, The Wreck, 1889, private collection
- Roberts, Across the Dandenongs, 1889, National Gallery of Victoria
- Roberts, Andante, 1889, Art Gallery of South Australia
- Roberts, By the Treasury, 1889, National Gallery of Victoria
- Roberts, Evening train to Hawthorn, 1889, Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Roberts, La Favorita, 1889, private collection
- Roberts, First Tram, 1889, private collection
- Roberts, Fog, Thames Embankment, 1884, Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Roberts, Going Home, 1889, National Gallery of Australia
- Roberts, Harper's Weekly, 1889, National Gallery of Victoria
- Roberts, The Mailman to Omeo, 1889, private collection
- Roberts, Mentone, 1889, National Gallery of Victoria
- Roberts, She-Oak and Sunlight, 1889, National Gallery of Victoria
- Roberts, Saplings, 1889, National Gallery of Australia
- Roberts, The violin lesson, 1889, National Gallery of Victoria
- Streeton, Brander's Ferry, 1889, private collection
- Streeton, Evening game, 1889, private collection
- Streeton, Hoddle Street to Junction, 1889, National Gallery of Australia
- Streeton, Impression for ′Golden Summer′, 1888, Benalla Art Gallery
- Streeton, The National Game, 1889, Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Streeton, Orange, blue and white, 1889, Art Gallery of South Australia
- Streeton, Pastoral in yellow and grey- a colour impression of Templestowe, 1889, National Gallery of Australia
- Streeton, The Road Up the Hill, 1889, Queensland Art Gallery
- Streeton, A Road to the Ranges, 1889, Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Streeton Princess & Burke & Wills, 1889, National Gallery of Victoria
- Streeton, Residence of J. Walker, Esq., Gembrook, 1888, National Gallery of Victoria
- Streeton, Sandridge, 1888, National Gallery of Australia
- Streeton, Windy and Wet, 1889, National Gallery of Victoria
References
- 1 2 "9 by 5 Impression Exhibition". Australian Impressionism. Melbourne: National Gallery of Victoria. Archived from the original on 9 April 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
- ↑ Important Australian Art: Tom Roberts, She-Oak and Sunlight, Sotheby's. Retrieved on 29 December 2019.
- ↑ "Art Gallery of South Australia receives largest group of '9 by 5' paintings", Art Daily. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
External links
- Exhibition catalogue, designed by Charles Conder
- 9 by 5 exhibition at the Heidelberg Artists Society