27 Facts About Arthur Streeton

Sir Arthur Ernest Streeton was an Australian landscape painter and a leading member of the Heidelberg School, known as Australian Impressionism.

Arthur Streeton's parents had met on the voyage from England in 1854.

In 1882, Streeton commenced art studies with G F Folingsby at the National Gallery School.

In 1885 Arthur Streeton presented his first exhibition at the Victorian Academy of Art.

Arthur Streeton found employment as an apprentice lithographer under Charles Troedel.

Arthur Streeton intended to walk the remaining distance to the site where Louis Buvelot painted his 1866 work Summer afternoon near Templestowe, which Streeton considered "the first fine landscape painted in Victoria".

Arthur Streeton spent the first few nights at Eaglemont alone with the estate's tenant farmer Jack Whelan, and slept upon the floor, the rooms being bare of furniture.

Arthur Streeton descended the hill daily to Heidelberg village for meals before jaunting into the bush with a billycan of milk and swag of paints and canvases.

Arthur Streeton was exhibiting and perhaps painting in the studio of his friend Tom Roberts in the Grosvenor Chambers in Collins Street by May 1888.

About the same time, Arthur Streeton met the artist Charles Conder, who travelled down from Sydney in October 1888 at the invitation of Tom Roberts.

Later, critics would describe some of the pair's Eaglemont paintings as companion pieces, as both artists often painted the same views and subjects using a high-keyed "gold and blue" palette, which Arthur Streeton considered "nature's scheme of colour in Australia".

In 1891, Arthur Streeton Merric and Emma Minnie of the Boyd artistic dynasty took Golden Summer, Eaglemont to Europe where it became the first painting by an Australian-born artist to be exhibited at the Royal Academy, London, and was awarded a Mention honourable at the 1892 Paris Salon.

Arthur Streeton came to Sydney and lived at Curlew Camp, from around 1891 until he left Australia for England, although during this period he travelled widely in rural New South Wales.

In 1893 Arthur Streeton wrote in Sydney's Daily Telegraph criticizing a proposed development on the shores of Sydney Harbor to establish a colliery which would involve the cutting down of a great many gum trees by a mining company.

In 1897 Arthur Streeton sailed for London on the Polynesian, stopping at Port Said before continuing on via Cairo and Naples.

Arthur Streeton held an exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1900 and became a member of the Chelsea Arts Club in 1903.

In 1906, Arthur Streeton returned to Australia and completed some paintings at Mount Macedon in February 1907 while staying with his patrons the Pinschofs at Hohe Warte.

Arthur Streeton worked at the 3rd London General Hospital in Wandsworth and reached the rank of corporal.

Arthur Streeton was made an Australian Official War Artist with the Australian Imperial Force, holding the rank of Honorary Lieutenant, and he travelled to France on 14 May 1918 and was attached to the 2nd Division, receiving his movement order on 8 May 1918.

Arthur Streeton worked in France, with a break in August, until October 1918.

Unlike the more famous military art depicting the definitive moments of battle, Arthur Streeton produced "military still life", capturing the everyday moments of the war.

Arthur Streeton built a house on five acres at Olinda in the Dandenongs where he continued to paint.

Arthur Streeton won the Wynne Prize in 1928 with Afternoon Light, Goulburn Valley.

Arthur Streeton was an art critic for The Argus from 1929 to 1935 and in 1937 was knighted for services to the arts.

Arthur Streeton married Esther Leonora Clench, a Canadian violinist, in 1908.

Arthur Streeton's works appear in many major Australian galleries and museums, including the National Gallery of Australia and state galleries, and the Australian War Memorial.

Arthur Streeton's paintings are amongst the most collectible of Australian artists and attracted high prices during his lifetime.