The descendants of models in Tom Roberts’ masterpiece, Shearing the Rams, at Saturday’s book launch in Corowa.
Tom Roberts’ painting, Shearing the Rams, is an Australian icon, painted in 1890 from a scene in a shearing shed on Brocklesby Station, part of which is now Killeneen, near Corowa.
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Roberts used local people as his models, and last weekend, 100 people, many of them descendants of those models, were at Corowa Museum for the launch of the book that tells the story of just one of them.
Dee White wrote The Girl in the Painting about eight-year-old, Susie Bourne.
People have often assumed that the smiling face in the middle of the canvas was of a boy, holding the tar pot.
But it’s the face of Susie, the only girl in the painting, and Dee White’s book tells her story.
Tom Roberts’ painting, Shearing the Rams is an Australian icon. Picture courtesy The National Gallery of Victoria.
Shearing the Rams is considered a masterpiece in Australian impressionism.
It depicts shearers as a celebration of pastoral life and the role the wool industry played in Australia’s development.
The painting forms part of the National Gallery of Victoria’s collection and is held at the Ian Potter Centre in Federation Square in Melbourne.
The Girl in the Painting was launched on Saturday by Federation mayor, Cheryl Cook who talked about the importance of children learning to love reading.
Author, Dee White spoke about her journey writing the book and Sarah Anthony told of the joy she had illustrating this delightful story.
Wangaratta bookstore, Booktique, was delighted by selling all the books they had, as well as taking orders for more.
Illustrator Sarah Anthony, author Dee White, and Federation mayor Cheryl Cook at the launch of The Girl in the Painting.
And the volunteers from Corowa Museum were also delighted to welcome back the first president of the Historical Society, Rob Jones and his family along with so many visitors.
It was an exciting morning with so many people in the museum sharing a cuppa and a chat, celebrating the painting, it’s importance to the Corowa region, and now a book sharing Susie Bourne’s story.
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