Jane Sutherland (1853-1928). Sutherland created paintings that were exhibited alongside four famous male Australian Impressionist Artists Tom Roberts, Frederick McCubbon, Charles Conder, and Arthur Streeton. These artist were recognized for their Australian Impressionism Art and have been exhibited in many exhibitions, books and public collections.
Sutherland created artwork that had similar qualities and interests although, her artwork was not considered to be as well recognized mainly due to the women’s social status. Women were restricted in their personal and working pursuits.
In the 1890s a women’s movement became well established and campaigned for equal rights and social reform. Australian women gained the right to vote between 1894 and 1908.
Sutherland pursued her professional art career. She studied at the National Gallery School and campainged with other female art students for equal rights for life drawing.
Sutherland’s career and professional exhibiting began in 1878. She was an active member and the first chairwoman of the Buonarotti Society that met regularly to promote literature, art, and music between 1883-1887. Sutherland was the first female to be elected for the Council of the Victorian Artist Society in 1900 . She was a professional art teacher and taught for nearly twenty years.
Sutherland excelled herself and became active in the plein air movement and developed an impressionist technique.
Sutherland’s paintings sold for relatively a lot less than her male colleagues although her artworks created were of of a similar quality and interests.
Around 1972 feminism caused a great interest of women’s work, exhibitions, publications, and this brought about the celebration of the achievements of Austrlain Women Artists as well as women artists of the past like Jane Sutherland.
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