Isaac Walter Jenner’s grand history mystery

Australian artist Isaac Walter Jenner (1836–1902) painted Cape Chudleigh, Coast of Labrador in 1893 and reworked it in 1895 (illustrated). The grand history painting depicts the search led by British naval officer, hydrographer, and explorer Sir Edward Belcher (1799–1877) to rescue the ill-fated 1845 British expedition by Sir John Franklin (1786–1847) which set out to…

The horse: Companion & muse

The horse has been a integral part of human history for millennia, prized both for their agility, speed and endurance, or strength needed to pull a plow or a carriage full of people. However improved transportation options towards the end of the 1800s, especially the construction of railways, and the development of new mechanical innovations…

Meet our feline friends

Meee‑ow — we’ve tried to round up our affectionate and furry four-legged friends, these cute house cats are obviously valued for their companionship — from snuggling to being a source of entertainment, to even manipulating us with their unique language and their contented purrs. It’s an interesting fact that meowing is a vocalisation just for…

Meet our canine friends

In an array of breeds, shapes and sizes, from wild dogs, to the valuable working dog, and the unconditional love of the house dog, QAGOMA has it all — so we’ve selected just a few artworks on display — we’ll let you find even more when you next visit us, plus we’ve added some of…

Michael Zavros: Horses, centaurs & the mystique of the cowboy

Michael Zavros was an Australian national showjumper as a teenager, so thoroughbreads are in his blood. During the Royal Queensland Show — which locals have affectionately shortened the name to ‘Ekka’ — we look at a range of works that delve into the artist’s interest in horses, including centaurs and the mystique of the cowboy.…

Michael Zavros: The symbolic subject

In recent years, still life has been a pillar of Michael Zavros’s painting practice. Before you peek at the artwork titles below, look closely at these opulent arrangements of fruits, flowers, and vases on pristine white canvases as they conjure all kinds of animals. These works recall the fantastical proto-surrealist portraits of sixteenth-century Italian painter…