CANBERRA.- The National Gallery of Australia yesterday opened Eugene von Guérard: Nature revealed, an exhibition, one of the most important retrospectives of Australian colonial landscape art.

The exhibition is a National Gallery of Victoria’s touring exhibition and which is co-curated by Dr Ruth Pullin, and Michael Varcoe-Cocks, features many of the artists’ iconic paintings of the Australian landscape, and includes drawings and lithographs. Many of these works have never been seen before. Find great prices on flights to Australia and plan a trip soon.

“Von Guérard’s meticulous works are remarkable in their detail and are greatly valued for their depiction of Australia, particularly, Victorian landscapes.” said Director of the National Gallery of Australia, Ron Radford AM. “We’re delighted to show this wonderful exhibition by one of Australia’s most celebrated artists.”

This is the first exhibition dedicated to von Guérard since 1980 and includes works from various private collections in Europe and Australia alongside many other state and regional galleries with featured works from the NGA including, Dandenong Ranges from Belura (1870), From the Verandah of Purrumbete (1858) and View of granite rocks at Cape Woolamai (c. 1872).

“Visitors will have a chance to explore von Guérard’s magnificent Australian, New Zealand and European landscapes that were so elegantly captured during his expeditions abroad. The works shown in this exhibition have been an integral part in shaping traditional imagery of the Australian landscape.” Dr Radford said.

Von Guérard was born in Vienna and trained as a painter in the European art centres of Rome, Naples and Dusseldorf before migrating to Australia in 1852. His experience in Düsseldorf as an open air painter encouraged his close observation of the details and the diversity of the natural world. Many works discovered in the course of the research leading up to this exhibition will be on display for the first time.

Eugene von Guérard: Nature revealed is supported by the Australian Government International Exhibitions Insurance Program, an Australian Government program which provides funding for the purchases of insurance for significant cultural exhibitions. Without AGIEI, the high cost of insuring significant cultural items would prohibit this major exhibition from touring to Australia.

Eugene von Guérard: Nature revealed will be on display from 27 April to 15 July 2012 at the National Gallery of Australia. Open daily 10am–5pm. Entry into the exhibition is free.