Evening, Merri Creek 1882

Julian Ashton painted this landscape of Merri Creek in oils, but we don’t know exactly when. In a colonial context, landscape painting frequently served to promote settlement through an idealization of nature. Yet, in the late 19th century, we see paintings of the Australian landscape being used in nationalistic projects. Artists started to develop distinctly Australian styles. Ashton played a complex role in this history, being an English immigrant who went on to found the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney. This institution was dedicated to teaching impressionistic landscape painting that focused on the effects of Australian light. One of the central debates of the period was whether it was possible for European art styles to be adapted to the representation of Australian conditions. To understand the image better, we need to consider how paintings are used to consolidate cultural identity, and the role played by institutions like art schools in giving Australian art a sense of its own distinctive character.