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Artist
Herbert H. Smith
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Born
1875
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Died
1957
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Title
The Art Students, Ballarat GalleryArt School
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Date of Production
c. 1898
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Medium
Watercolour
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Dimensions
62.5 x 46.0 cm
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Credit Details
Purchased with funds from the Gallery Women’s Association, 1997
Herbert H. Smith
The Art Students, Ballarat GalleryArt School
Ballarat born H H Smith enrolled at the Ballarat Gallery Art
School, which was originally known as the Ballarat West Technical
School, when it opened in November 1891. Here he rose to the
position of Assistant Master and in 1898 he left for Sale where he
was to spend the next few years as Director of the Sale Technical
Art School. Smith then went to England to
continue his studies before returning to Australia where he
accepted a position as the Director of the Art Gallery of Ballarat
Arts School in 1905. In 1907, following a merger between the
Ballarat East and Ballarat West Technical Art Schools, Smith was
appointed Principal of the Ballarat School of Mines Art
School, a position he retained for more than three decades.
Painted in the mid - late 1890s this charming and intimate work
is unusual for Smith, a watercolourist who generally painted
landscapes. In this image two students are depicted,
including the red headed Florence Allender who was to become
Smith's wife in 1905. The women are featured in the school
studio with its statuary, still life, relief panels and drapery
that were typical of the props used to teach art at that time.