Coming South is a 1886 painting by the Australian artist Tom Roberts. The painting depicts migrants coming to Australia from Europe aboard a steamship. Roberts based the painting on sketches he had made when returning to Australia aboard the SS Lusitania in 1885 after four years abroad in Europe.[1]

Coming South
ArtistTom Roberts
Year1886
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensions63.5 cm × 52.2 cm (25.0 in × 20.6 in)
LocationNational Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

Historian Humphrey McQueen describes Coming South as one of Roberts' seven best-known paintings.[2] The National Gallery of Victoria describes it as "a definitive image of the migrant experience" and "Roberts's first exploration of one of the great themes of Australian life".[3]

The painting was acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria in 1967.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Migration and multiculturalism". Collection Stories. National Gallery of Victoria. Archived from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  2. ^ Seeton, Alexander. "Review: Tom Roberts". Archived from the original on 12 April 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Coming South". Collection Online. National Gallery of Victoria. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
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