First published in 1966, The Art of Australia has become a classic account of Australian art between European settlement in 1788 and the late 1960s. With this book Robert Hughes has been instrumental in opening up continuing discussions about Australian art. He explores issues ranging from the social and political contexts of the various art movements to the struggle between the desire for independence and the pervasive influences of overseas models. From the figurative tradition to abstraction, Hughes traces the development of an Australian vision. He not only reappraises Australian artists of iconic status, like Streeton, Bunny and Condor, but also explores the work of the many artists who helped define what we now understand as an Australian sensibility in the visual arts.
