Editing Australian art (section)

===British colonization (1788–1850)===
Early Western art in Australia, from British colonisation in 1788 onwards, is often narrated as the gradual shift from a European sense of light to an Australian one. The lighting in Australia is notably different from that of Europe, and early attempts at landscapes attempted to reflect this. It has also been one of transformation, where artistic ideas originating from beyond (primarily Europe) gained new meaning and purpose when transplanted into the new continent and the emerging society.<ref name="Christopher Allen 1997">''Art in Australia: From Colonization to Postmodernism.'' [[Christopher Allen (critic)|Christopher Allen]] (1997). Thames and Hudson, World of Art series.</ref>

Despite Banks' suggestions, no professional natural-history artist sailed on the [[First Fleet]] in 1788. Until the turn of the century all drawings made in the colony were crafted by soldiers, including British naval officers [[George Raper]] and [[John Hunter (Royal Navy officer)|John Hunter]], and convict artists, including [[Thomas Watling]].<ref name="James Gleeson 1971">James Gleeson, Australian Painting. Edited by John Henshaw. 1971.</ref> However, many of these drawings are by unknown artists, most notably the [[Port Jackson Painter]]. Most are in the style of naval draughtsmanship, and cover natural history topics, specifically birds, and a few depict the infant colony itself.

[[File:John Glover - A view of the artist's house and garden, in Mills Plains, Van Diemen's Land - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|left|John Glover, ''A View of the Artist's House and Garden'', 1835]]
Several professional natural-history illustrators accompanied expeditions in the early 19th century, including [[Ferdinand Bauer]], who travelled with [[Matthew Flinders]], and [[Charles-Alexandre Lesueur]], who travelled with a French expedition led by [[Nicolas Baudin]]. The first resident professional artist was [[John Lewin]],<ref name="James Gleeson 1971" /> who arrived in 1800 and published two volumes of natural history art. Ornithologist [[John Gould]] was renowned for his illustrations of the country's birds.<ref name="James Gleeson 1971" /> In the late 19th century [[Harriet Morgan|Harriet]] and [[Helena Scott]] were highly respected natural history illustrators<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://australianmuseum.net.au/Beauty-from-Nature-art-of-the-Scott-Sisters |title = The Scott sisters collection}}</ref>
Lewin's ''Platypus'' (1808) represents the fine detail and scientific observation displayed by many of these early painters.

As well as inspiration in natural history, there were some ethnographic portraiture of [[Aboriginal Australians]], particularly in the 1830s. Artists included [[Augustus Earle]] in [[New South Wales]]<ref name="James Gleeson 1971" /> and [[Benjamin Duterrau]], [[Robert Hawker Dowling|Robert Dowling]] and the sculptor Benjamin Law, recording images of [[Aboriginal Tasmanians]].

The most significant landscape artist of this era<ref name="Christopher Allen 1997" /> was [[John Glover (artist)|John Glover]]. Heavily influenced by 18th-century European landscape painters, such as [[Claude Lorraine]] and [[Salvator Rosa]], his works captured the distinctive Australian features of open country, fallen logs, and blue hills.<ref name="Bernard Smith 2001">''Australian Painting: 1788–2000.'' Bernard Smith with Terry Smith and Christopher Heathcote (2001). Oxford University Press.</ref>

[[Conrad Martens]] (1801–1878) worked from 1835 to 1878 as a professional artist, painting many landscapes and was commercially successful. His work has been regarded as softening the landscape to fit European sensibilities.<ref name="James Gleeson 1971" /> His watercolour studies of Sydney Harbour are well regarded, and seen as introducing [[Romantic art#Romantic visual arts|Romantic]] ideals to his paintings.<ref name="Bernard Smith 2001" /> Martens is also remembered for accompanying scientist [[Charles Darwin]] on [[HMS Beagle]] (as had [[Augustus Earle]]).

<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
Thomas Watling - A Direct North General View of Sydney Cove, 1794.jpg|Thomas Watling, ''A Direct North General View of Sydney Cove'', 1794
William Westall - View of Sir Edward Pellews Group, Gulph of Carpentaria, 1802.jpg|[[William Westall]], ''View of Sir Edward Pellews Group, Gulph of Carpentaria'', 1802
Augustus Earle A bivouac of travellers in Australia.jpg|Augustus Earle, ''A bivouac of travellers in Australia in a cabbage-tree forest, day break'', 1838
Image:Conrad Martens - Campbells Wharf, 1857.jpg|Conrad Martens, ''Campbell's Wharf'', {{circa}} 1857
</gallery>