A Tale of Two Cities—Prints from the Colin Holden Collection

This exhibition is drawn from the extensive Colin Holden Collection of prints held at Geelong Gallery. It presents a selection of early-twentieth century depictions of Melbourne and Sydney by key members of the Australian Painter-Etchers’ Society: John Shirlow, AH Fullwood, Sydney Ure Smith, and Jessie Traill. The Australian Painter-Etchers’ Society was established in 1920 by artists committed to the practice and promotion of etching in Australia.

Although working in the centuries-old technique of etching, these artists captured contemporary aspects of Melbourne and Sydney as the nation emerged from the shadow of The Great War (1914–18) into a period of significant social and technological change. The architecture, waterways and industrial developments of the respective locations were of particular and enduring fascination for these etchers who worked across both cities throughout their careers.