Page 112 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sydney

110  SY DNEY AREA B Y AREA

7 Art Gallery of New South Wales

Established in 1871, the art gallery has occupied its present imposing
building since 1897. Designed by the Colonial Architect WL Vernon,
the gallery doubled in size following 1988 building extensions.
Two equestrian bronzes by Gilbert Bayes (1872–1953) – The Offerings
of Peace and The Offerings of War – greet the visitor on entry. The
gallery itself houses some of the finest works of art in Australia,
with permanent collections of Australian, Aboriginal, European,
Asian and contemporary art. The Yiribana Gallery is one of the
largest in the world to exclusively exhibit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Lower Level 3
Islander art and culture. Free guided tours take place daily, covering
Aboriginal art, highlights of the collection or major exhibitions.

Mars and the Vestal Virgin (1638)
This oil on canvas by Parisian painter
Jacques Blanchard (1600–38) depicts
Mars’s encounter with a Vestal Virgin,
who subsequently gave birth to
Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome.

Ground Level

Sofala (1947) Russell Drysdale’s visions of
Australia show “ghost” towns laid waste by
devastating natural forces such as drought. Upper Level

Gallery Guide
There are five levels. The Upper Level,
Ground Level and Lower Level 1 host
tempo rary exhibitions. The Ground
Level also showcases European
and Australian works. The Contem­
porary Galleries on Lower Level 2
have the most compre hensive
collection of contemporary art
in the country. On Lower Level 3
is the Yiribana Aboriginal Gallery.

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