Roberts, Tom (1856-1931)

Also known as
Roberts, Thomas William (1856-1931)
Field of activity
art teacher; landscape artist; painter; portraitist; Painting; Drawing; Black & white art; Sculpture; Print; Photography; Hospital orderly
Libraries Australia
http://nla.gov.au/anbd.aut-an35455935
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-521098

Biographies

ROBERTS, THOMAS WILLIAM (1856-1931), artist, was born on 9 March 1856 at Dorchester, Dorset, England, elder son of Richard Roberts, journalist, and his wife Matilda Agnes Cela, née Evans. Tom was educated at Dorchester Grammar School. After her husband's death Matilda and her three children migrated in 1869 to Melbourne where they lived at Collingwood. The first years were difficult for a poor family and Tom helped his mother to sew satchels after work. He soon became interested in art and studied at the Collingwood and Carlton artisans' schools of design in 1873; at the latter Louis Buvelot and Eugen von Guerard awarded him a prize for a landscape. In 1874 he joined the National Gallery School where he attended Thomas Clark's classes in design. Though the school listed his occupation as photographer, his responsibilities at Stewart's, photographers in Bourke Street, were confined to arranging backdrops and studio sets and sometimes posing the sitters for portraits.

View the full record at Australian Dictionary of Biography

One of Australia's most iconic painters, Tom Roberts was an early champion of plein-air painting and together with Frederick McCubbin, Roberts helped establish the famous painting camps around Heidelberg in Victoria.

Tom Roberts was born on 9 March 1856 in Dorchester, England, the son of a newspaper editor. In 1869, following his father's death, the thirteen-year-old Roberts emigrated to Australia with his family. In Melbourne he worked for a photographer and, in 1873, attended weekly drawing classes at the Schools of Design at Collingwood and Carlton. He studied at the National Gallery School, Melbourne, from 1874 to 1880, then in 1881 he travelled to London where he attended the Royal Academy Schools ...

Flourished

  • fl. 1873-ca. 1930

View the full record at Design and Art Australia Online

Related people and organisations

Resources for Tom Roberts

Resources by Tom Roberts (119)

  1. Tom Roberts, 1856-1931 : a biographical sketch by Geoffrey Dutton
    Dutton, Geoffrey, 1922-1998
    [ Book : 1987-1989 ]
    At 65 libraries
    Tom Roberts, 1856-1931 : a biographical sketch by Geoffrey Dutton
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 71.029)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 71.029)

  2. Tom Roberts / selected and co-ordinated by Ron Radford
    Roberts, Tom, 1856-1931
    [ Book : 1996 ]
    At 109 libraries
    Tom Roberts / selected and co-ordinated by Ron Radford
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 54.227)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 54.227)

  3. Tom Roberts / Virginia Spate ; editorial consultant, John Henshaw
    Spate, Virginia, 1937-
    Art and Australia
    [ Book, Article : 1900-2011 ]
    Languages: French, English, Vietnamese, [10 others]
    Possibly online
    At 116 libraries
    Tom Roberts / Virginia Spate ; editorial consultant, John Henshaw
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 50.632)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 50.632)

  4. Tom Roberts / Humphrey McQueen
    McQueen, Humphrey, 1942-
    [ Book : 1996 ]
    At 81 libraries
    Tom Roberts / Humphrey McQueen
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 44.279)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 44.279)

  5. Tom Roberts, the man and his art / created and designed by Okko Boer in consultation with Elwyn Lynn ; editorial assistant, Kathy Bennett ; photography, John Bolton
    Roberts, Tom, 1856-1931
    [ Book : 1978 ]
    At 45 libraries
    Tom Roberts, the man and his art / created and designed by Okko Boer in consultation with Elwyn Lynn ; editorial assistant, Kathy Bennett ; photography, John Bolton
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 35.452)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 35.452)

  6. Paintings of Tom Roberts / with introduction and commentaries by Robert Campbell
    Roberts, Tom, 1856-1931
    [ Book : 1962-1963 ]
    At 41 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 35.29)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 35.29)

  7. Tom Roberts / Arnold Shore
    Shore, Arnold, 1897-1963
    [ Book : 1964 ]
    At 35 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 33.581)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 33.581)

  8. Smike to Bulldog : letters from Sir Arthur Streeton to Tom Roberts / edited with annotations by R.H. Croll
    Streeton, Arthur Sir, 1869-1947
    [ Book : 1946 ]
    At 40 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 32.257)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 32.257)

  9. John Perceval / [by] Margaret Plant
    Plant, Margaret, 1940-
    [ Book : 1978 ]
    At 53 libraries
    John Perceval / [by] Margaret Plant
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 32.203)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 32.203)

  10. Bailed up : the story behind the painting / Patrick H. McCarthy
    McCarthy, P. H. (Patrick Hubert), 1933-
    [ Book : 2006 ]
    At 42 libraries
    Bailed up : the story behind the painting / Patrick H. McCarthy
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 29.079)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 29.079)

More...

Resources about Tom Roberts (121)

  1. Tom Roberts, 1856-1931 : a biographical sketch by Geoffrey Dutton
    Dutton, Geoffrey, 1922-1998
    [ Book : 1987-1989 ]
    At 65 libraries
    Tom Roberts, 1856-1931 : a biographical sketch by Geoffrey Dutton
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 71.828)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 71.828)

  2. Tom Roberts, 1856-1931 : a catalogue raisonne / Helen Topliss
    Topliss, Helen, 1946-
    [ Book : 1983-1985 ]
    At 49 libraries
    Tom Roberts, 1856-1931 : a catalogue raisonne / Helen Topliss
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 60.611)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 60.611)

  3. Tom Roberts / selected and co-ordinated by Ron Radford
    Roberts, Tom, 1856-1931
    [ Book : 1996 ]
    At 109 libraries
    Tom Roberts / selected and co-ordinated by Ron Radford
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 54.118)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 54.118)

  4. Tom Roberts / Virginia Spate ; editorial consultant, John Henshaw
    Spate, Virginia, 1937-
    Art and Australia
    [ Book, Article : 1900-2011 ]
    Languages: French, English, Vietnamese, [10 others]
    Possibly online
    At 116 libraries
    Tom Roberts / Virginia Spate ; editorial consultant, John Henshaw
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 50.311)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 50.311)

  5. Tom Roberts / Humphrey McQueen
    McQueen, Humphrey, 1942-
    [ Book : 1996 ]
    At 81 libraries
    Tom Roberts / Humphrey McQueen
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 43.26)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 43.26)

  6. Tom Roberts, the man and his art / created and designed by Okko Boer in consultation with Elwyn Lynn ; editorial assistant, Kathy Bennett ; photography, John Bolton
    Roberts, Tom, 1856-1931
    [ Book : 1978 ]
    At 45 libraries
    Tom Roberts, the man and his art / created and designed by Okko Boer in consultation with Elwyn Lynn ; editorial assistant, Kathy Bennett ; photography, John Bolton
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 35.367)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 35.367)

  7. Paintings of Tom Roberts / with introduction and commentaries by Robert Campbell
    Roberts, Tom, 1856-1931
    [ Book : 1962-1963 ]
    At 41 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 35.205)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 35.205)

  8. Tom Roberts / Arnold Shore
    Shore, Arnold, 1897-1963
    [ Book : 1964 ]
    At 35 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 33.73)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 33.73)

  9. Smike to Bulldog : letters from Sir Arthur Streeton to Tom Roberts / edited with annotations by R.H. Croll
    Streeton, Arthur Sir, 1869-1947
    [ Book : 1946 ]
    At 40 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 32.192)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 32.192)

  10. John Perceval / [by] Margaret Plant
    Plant, Margaret, 1940-
    [ Book : 1978 ]
    At 53 libraries
    John Perceval / [by] Margaret Plant
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 31.653)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 31.653)

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  1. Roberts, Tom
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.063)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.063)

  2. Roberts, T. J., (Tom J)
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.059)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.059)

  3. Roberts, T. A., (Tom Aerwyn)
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.059)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.059)

  1. Medlin, Tom b1905
    Medlin, Tom b1905
    Created by pmm57, 20 items.

    My Father

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.022)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.022)

  2. Robert Snedden
    Robert Snedden
    Created by laneythestar, 1 item.

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.003)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.003)

  3. JOHN and ROBERT SEVIOR or SEVIOUR
    JOHN and ROBERT SEVIOR or SEVIOUR
    Created by beetle, 991 items.

    Brothers John (William) Sevior 1834 Launceston and Robert Sevior 1836 Launceston. Jockeys, Horse Breeders, Horse Trainers, Farmers; Ploughing Match Judge and Race Course Clerk - John Sevior,...

    Rating: r5/5
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.002)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.002)

  1. Portrait of Tom Roberts [Elizabeth ...
    Mahoney, Elizab...
    [ Photograph : 1925 ]
    Portrait of Tom Roberts [Elizabeth Mahoney]
  2. [Tom Roberts]
    Barnett, H. Wal...
    [ Photograph : 1903 ]
    [Tom Roberts]
  3. The Commonwealth picture - opening ...
    Roberts, Tom, 1...
    [ Photograph : 1902 ]
    The Commonwealth picture - opening of the Commonwealth Parliament / Tom Roberts
  4. The woodsplitters : The charcoal bu...
    Roberts, Tom, 1...
    [ Art work ]
  5. Shearing the rams / Tom Roberts
    Roberts, Tom, 1...
    [ Art work, Poster, chart, other, Photograph : 1960-1980 ]
  6. Holiday sketch at Coogee / Tom Robe...
    Roberts, Tom, 1...
    [ Art work : 1970-1979 ]
  1. Tenn-Tom Waterway to be built, but benefits uncertain
    Brown, Robert H
    Feedstuffs
    [ Map, Article : 1983 ]
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.025)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.025)

  2. Millionaires Smith, Bruggere to face off for Senate seat. (Tom Bruggere, Gordon Smith in Oregon Senate race)
    Wells, Robert Marshall
    Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report
    [ Map, Photograph, Article : 1996 ]
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.021)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.021)

  3. Subdivision of the Minnie Bend Estate Tooleybuc, for private sale : citrus and lucerne blocks on the Murray River / Tom J. Lowndes, Licensed Surveyor
    Lowndes, Tom J
    [ Map : 1925 ]
    At State Library of VIC
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.018)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.018)

  1. Tom Roberts 1856-1931 : Tom Roberts exhibition : souvenir catalogue
    Lindsay, Lionel, Sir
    [ Book : 1948 ]
    At The Shaw Research
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.891)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.891)

  2. Friends and villains : an autobiography / Tom Roberts
    Roberts, Tom, 1905-
    [ Book : 1987-1989 ]
    At 19 libraries
    Friends and villains : an autobiography / Tom Roberts
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.59)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.59)

  3. Blood money / Tom Bradby
    Bradby, Tom
    [ Book, Audio book : 2008-2011 ]
    At 64 libraries
    Blood money / Tom Bradby
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.543)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.543)

  4. Hell west and crooked / Tom Cole
    Cole, Tom, 1906-1995
    [ Book, Audio book : 1988-2000 ]
    At 96 libraries
    Hell west and crooked / Tom Cole
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.537)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.537)

  1. Blood money / Tom Bradby
    Bradby, Tom
    [ Book, Audio book : 2008-2011 ]
    At 64 libraries
    Blood money / Tom Bradby
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.543)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.543)

  2. Hell west and crooked / Tom Cole
    Cole, Tom, 1906-1995
    [ Book, Audio book : 1988-2000 ]
    At 96 libraries
    Hell west and crooked / Tom Cole
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.537)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.537)

  3. Horse control and the bit / Tom Roberts
    Roberts, Tom, 1900-
    [ Book, Audio book : 1971-2001 ]
    At 44 libraries
    Horse control and the bit / Tom Roberts
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.476)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.476)

  4. Horse control - the rider / Tom Roberts
    Roberts, Tom, 1900-
    [ Book, Audio book : 1980-2004 ]
    At 33 libraries
    Horse control - the rider / Tom Roberts
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.369)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.369)

  1. Tom Robert's grave (1856 - 1931) - Christ Church, Longford (colour photo)
    State Library of Tasmania
    [ Unpublished : 1800-1999 ]
    Possibly online
    At LINC Tas: SLT & TAHO
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.082)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.082)

  2. More than winning : the story of Tom Osborne / Tom Osborne ; with John E. Roberts ; introduction to the Bison Books edition by Tom Osborne
    Osborne, Tom, 1937-
    [ Unpublished : 1985-2009 ]
    More than winning : the story of Tom Osborne / Tom Osborne ; with John E. Roberts ; introduction to the Bison Books edition by Tom Osborne
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.094)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.094)

  3. Papers of Tom Uren
    Uren, Tom, 1921-
    [ Unpublished : 1941-1994 ]
    At National Library
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.069)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.069)

  1. Website: Federation gateway - National Library of Australia
    www.nla.gov.au
    Matching pages:
    View 2 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.042)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.042)

  2. Website: National Library of Australia staff papers
    www.nla.gov.au
    Matching pages:
    View 168 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.042)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.042)

  3. Website: Parliamentary Education Office
    www.peo.gov.au
    Matching pages:
    • The Tom Roberts painting... - 29/6/2003
    • ... of the Commonwealth of Australia by H.R.H. The Duke of Cornwall and York (Later King George V), May 9, 1901 (1903) Tom Roberts (1856-1931) oil...
    View 117 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.037)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.037)

  1. Tom Roberts.
    The Catholic Press (NSW : 1895 - 1942) Saturday 11 May 1901 p 16 Article
    ... Tom Roberts. Artist Tom Roberts, who has shaken the duet of Sydney off his boots and is now on his ... for thin rather dioaorrlant notothodinnor wont olTwoll, and Tpm Roberts had no diilioulby in ... ompby pagoantry. Everybody wishes Tom RobortB luok in tho old world, where his genuine talent should ... 267 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.651)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.651)

  2. TOM ROBERTS.
    Clarence and Richmond Examiner (Grafton, NSW : 1889 - 1915) Tuesday 11 June 1901 p 8 Article
    ... TOM ROBERTS. It was only the other night that we (Catholic Press) sat at Tom Roberts' fare- farewell dinner, and listened to his valedictory remarks on art as it isn't supported in ... £800 is the price, we have heard and we are delighted that Tom Roberts has been selected for a work ... 349 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.651)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.651)

  3. TOM ROBERTS.
    Gippsland Times (Vic. : 1861 - 1954) Monday 8 March 1948 p 4 Article
    ... TOM ROBERTS. The retrospective exhibition of 90 pictures by Tom Roberts, now being held at the National Gallery, Mel- bourne, is therefore both fitting and welcome. Fitting, as a further tri tri- ... in the current affairs of art. Tomn Roberts was born on March 9, 1856, at Dorchester, E ... 223 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.651)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.651)

  1. Tom Roberts 1856-1931. Vols. 1-2.(Book Review)
    Burlington Magazine
    [ Article : 1986 ]
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.641)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.641)

  2. Classic painting: Tom Roberts. -Sunny South: pictorial essay-
    Galbally, Ann
    This Australia
    [ Article : 1981 ]
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.595)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.595)

  3. In search of Tom Roberts
    MacKinnon, Marsali
    Australian
    [ Article : 1979 ]
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.591)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.591)

  4. Documenting Tom Roberts
    McQueen, Humphrey
    Meanjin (Melbourne)
    [ Article : 1985 ]
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.553)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.553)