Benjamin Duterrau (3 February 1767 – 23 August 1858) was a British-born painter and sculptor who became a prominent figure in the early visual arts of the colony of Van Diemen's Land, now known as Tasmania, Australia. He is best known for his historical and genre paintings that depict the lives of Indigenous Tasmanians and early European settlers, as well as for his contributions to the development of a colonial artistic tradition.
Early life and education
Duterrau was born in Canterbury, Kent, England. Little is documented about his artistic training, though it is believed that he received formal instruction in drawing and painting in England before emigrating.
Migration to Australia
In 1825, Duterrau arrived in Hobart, Van Diemen’s Land, as an assistant to the colonial architect and surveyor. He soon established himself as a portraitist and history painter, receiving commissions from colonial officials and wealthy settlers.
Artistic career
Duterrau’s oeuvre includes portraits of notable colonists, religious works, and large-scale history paintings. His most renowned work, “The Conciliation” (c. 1840), portrays a meeting between European settlers and Aboriginal Tasmanians, reflecting contemporary attitudes toward colonisation and Indigenous peoples. The painting is considered one of the earliest significant depictions of Aboriginal Tasmanians by a European artist and is held by the National Gallery of Victoria.
Other notable works include:
- “The Aborigines in Their Natural State” (c. 1829), an early study of Indigenous Tasmanian subjects.
- “A Convict and His Child” (c. 1835), a genre scene illustrating the social conditions of the penal colony.
- Various portraits of prominent colonial figures, such as Governor Sir John Franklin.
Later life and legacy
In addition to painting, Duterrau engaged in sculptural work and taught art to local students, contributing to the nascent artistic community in Tasmania. He retired from active painting in the 1850s and died in Hobart in 1858. Contemporary scholarship regards Duterrau as a pivotal figure in Australian colonial art, particularly for his documentation of early Indigenous and settler interactions.
Collections
Duterrau’s paintings are held in several Australian institutions, including:
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
- Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart
- State Library of New South Wales
References
- National Gallery of Victoria, The Conciliation, accession records.
- Dunbar, S., Colonial Artists of Tasmania, University of Tasmania Press, 1992.
- “Benjamin Duterrau (1767–1858)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
