Visual arts and design

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Image: Visitors standing in front of work at the Art Gallery at Royal Park by artists Mish Meijers and Tricky Walsh, entitled A New Kind of Union.

The QVMAG Visual Arts and Design Department is the proud home of our remarkable and varied collection of Australian and international art and design.

Highlights include colonial paintings by John Glover, Thomas Bock, Henry Mundy, Robert Dowling and W.B. Gould. Other features are our large Bea Maddock archive and collection, as well as a range of ceramics, works on paper and textiles.

These collections have been built since the Museum's opening in 1891 principally through donations, bequests, and fundraising from individuals and support groups such as the QVMAG Arts Foundation and QVMAG Friends.

Situated at Royal Park, our galleries are host to a range of QVMAG-curated and travelling exhibitions. You can search the collection via Collections Online. 

Fine arts

The QVMAG fine arts collection includes:

Modern and contemporary Australian art: This collection documents the history of Australia's postcolonial art of aesthetic value through paintings, works on paper, sculpture and multi-media.

International Art: The Museum has a small but significant collection of international paintings and works on paper.

Tasmanian colonial art:

The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (QVMAG) holds a vast collection of colonial art, including paintings by John Glover, Thomas Bock, Henry Mundy, Robert Dowling and W.B. Gould. This collection documents the artistic and cultural heritage of Tasmania, and Colonial Australia, from pre-European settlement until the end of the 19th century and spans paintings, works on paper and significant frames relating to this period.

Why is resting works important?

Resting works ensures vulnerable collection items are placed in a stable environment, mitigating risk of damage and deterioration due to dust and other pollutants, humidity, temperature fluctuations and light levels.

It is through such collection care principles that this suite of invaluable works can be cared for, and maintained, for future generations. 

When will works from this collection be back on display?

As part of annual programming efforts at QVMAG, showcasing this collection remains an ongoing consideration - however, we must always balance this alongside best-practice collection care standards and the requirements.

Our team are actively considering possibilities for the activation of this collection, spanning curated exhibition experiences and contemporary responses to collection items through public programs and events.

Stay up to date with what's currently on display, or coming up at QVMAG via our website, social media pages or our monthly newsletter. 

 

Can I privately view this collection?

Requests to access and view works within this collection can be made with our Collections team by contacting enquiries@qvmag.tas.gov.au with your collection query and visit request details.Once your enquiry has been received, our team will work to support this request. Please note: fees and charges for private collection visits may apply.

Many of these works can be viewed in our online Collection catalogue via our website: www.qvmag.tas.gov.au/CollectionsOnline

 

Decorative arts and design

The QVMAG decorative arts and design collection includes:

  • Contemporary craft and design: This collection aims to document and promote understanding of the evolution of contemporary craft and design in Australia since 1945 in all media. Particular emphasis is placed on the achievements of Tasmanian practitioners.  

  • Tasmanian decorative arts: This collection documents the material cultural heritage of Tasmania with particular reference to ceramics, furniture and woodwork, textiles and costumes with significant aesthetic value.

  • Australian decorative arts: This collection documents the evolution of Australian decorative arts particularly through ceramics and textiles with significant aesthetic and cultural value. The collection focuses primarily on objects designed and made in Australia pre 1945.

  • International decorative arts: This collection documents in particular the development and evolution of British, European and Asian decorative arts through ceramics, textiles and costumes of significant aesthetic value.

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