Art in the Library

Ned Kelly

Two series of paintings, based on the history of bushranger Ned Kelly, hang in two of the Library’s main stairwells.

Peter Cornwell exhibits an abstract and landscape driven approach to Ned Kelly with his works of industrial acrylic paint on corrugated iron. Hanging in Stair East, the works depict locations where a number of important episodes in the history of the Kelly Gang took place. The series is brought to a conclusion on Level 2 with the sculptural depiction of the four suits of armour worn by the Kelly Gang in the battle of Glenrowan. More information on each of the paintings.

Return to the Woolshed

Peter Shepherd’s more realistic and primitive paintings hang in Stair South and show eight episodes from the life of Ned Kelly. The paintings were originally created to illustrate and provide a backdrop to the opera Kate Kelly’s Road Show. They also formed the basis of the first section of Shepherd’s Doctor of Creative Arts thesis, which is held in the Library’s Archives collection. More information on each of the paintings.