Thomas William Roberts, better known as Tom Roberts, was a prominent Australian artist and a key member of the Heidelberg School, which was instrumental in the development of Australian Impressionism, also known as Australian plein air painting. Born on March 9, 1856, in Dorchester, Dorset, England, Roberts emigrated to Australia with his family when he was 13, settling in Melbourne.
Roberts initially worked as a photographer's assistant while studying art at night at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School. He furthered his studies at the Royal Academy Schools in London from 1881 to 1884, where he was influenced by the works of James McNeill Whistler and the French Impressionists. Upon his return to Australia, he began to work en plein air, painting Australian landscapes and scenes of rural life.
His works from this period, such as 'Shearing the Rams' (1890), are characterized by their use of light and color to capture the essence of the Australian bush and the heat of the outback. Roberts, along with fellow artists Frederick McCubbin, Arthur Streeton, and Charles Conder, established what became known as the Heidelberg School, named after the then-rural area of Heidelberg where they often painted.
Roberts was also a central figure in the organization of the 9 by 5 Impression Exhibition in 1889, which showcased small impressionistic works painted on the lids of cedar cigar boxes and was a significant event in Australian art history.
Throughout his career, Roberts took on a number of roles that contributed to the development of the Australian art scene, including teaching and advocating for the establishment of art schools and galleries. In his later years, he returned to England for a period but came back to Australia in 1923. He continued to paint until his death on September 14, 1931, in Kallista, Victoria. His legacy is celebrated for capturing the spirit of Australia during a time of nation-building and for his role in the advancement of Australian art.
