Visions of Colonial Grandeur explores Melbournes
international exhibitions through the art collection of 19th-century businessman
John Twycross. John Twycross, also known as Top Hat, was a merchant and art
collector who lived and worked in Marvellous Melbourne. In this boom period
of the 1880s, a confident Melbourne hosted two international exhibitions and
the best and latest in trade and culture was seen by millions in the newly-built
(Royal) Exhibition Building. Twycross was an enthusiastic participant in the
growing Melbourne art market and, during his frequent visits to the international
exhibitions, purchased hundreds of exquisite fine art objects and paintings,
building a collection that was treasured by four generations of the Twycross family and is
now part of the Museum Victoria collection.
This unique book features both archival photographs and
colour images of some of the beautiful and significant art works in the Twycross
collection. It is also an insightful study of the development of a collection,
exploring the world of the international exhibitions and the thriving art trade
in 19th-century Melbourne.
