Arthur Streeton
| Arthur Streeton | |
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Tom Roberts' portrait of Smike Streeton, age 24 (1891), held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales
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| Born |
Arthur Ernest Streeton 8 April 1867 Mount Duneed, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 1 September 1943 (aged 76) Olinda, Victoria, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | Heidelberg School |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Johnson |
Sir Arthur Ernest Streeton (8 April 1867 – 1 September 1943) was an Australian landscape painter and leading member of the Heidelberg School, also known as Australian Impressionism.
Streeton was born in Duneed, Victoria, south-west of Geelong, on 8 April 1867 the fourth child of Charles Henry and Mary (née Johnson) Streeton. His family moved to Richmond in 1874. His 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.
Streeton was influenced by French Impressionism and the works of Turner. During this time he began his association with fellow artists Frederick McCubbin and Tom Roberts — at Melbourne including at Box Hill and Heidelberg. In 1885 Streeton presented his first exhibition at the Victorian Academy of Art. He found employment as an apprentice lithographer under Charles Troedel.
In the summer drought of 1888, Streeton travelled by train to the attractive agricultural and grazing suburb of Heidelberg, 11 km north-east of Melbourne's city center. His intention was to walk the remaining distance to the site where Louis Buvelot painted his 1866 work Summer afternoon near Templestowe, which was, according to Streeton, "the first fine landscape painted in Victoria". On the return journey to Heidelberg, wet canvas in hand, Streeton met Charles Davies, brother-in-law of friend and fellow plein air painter David Davies. Charles gave him "artistic possession" of an abandoned homestead atop the summit of Mount Eagle estate, offering spectacular views across the Yarra Valley to the Dandenongs. For Streeton, Eaglemont (as it became known) was the ideal working environment—a reasonably isolated rural location that was still close to the city. The house itself could be seen by visitors as they arrived at Heidelberg railway station.
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