Kevin Parlato
Global Context
William Strutt Painting “Black Thursday” Australia has a unique but dark past when it comes to its colonial history. Remnants of this past still linger as significant problems for the modern era. These problems expose themselves in many aspects of the Australian culture such as politics, social ques, and art. If a foreigner, such as myself, takes a look at Australian art, I take it in at face value. It would take lots of research to determine any cultural undertones. When I first gazed upon William Strutt’s painting “Black Thursday” I thought that it was interesting. That was about it. It wasn’t until I did my own research of the painting that I was able to see a new perspective of the painting, one that coincides with Australia’s dark colonial history. The foundation of the …show more content…
Just three years after a bush fire left a path of destruction throughout southern Australia. But this wasn’t any bush fire, this was the largest bush fire in recorded history to ever strike civilization (Athenaeum Gallery.1883 p. 3). The fire burned to a crisp nearly a quarter of Victoria, over 5 million hectares. (Bushfires) Leaving in its trail of devastation over one million sheep dead, thousands of cattle killed, and twelve people lost. (Howitt) The Painting “Black Thursday” serves as a clear visual representation of the devastation caused by the bush fire. It depicts settlers and animals in clear distress as they try to flee a raging fire behind them. To add to the fear, there are dead carcasses in the foreground of the painting, next to a dead Kangaroo. There is something about the dead Kangaroo that really resonates with destruction. It is the animal most closely associated with Australia its also quick and strong. Seeing it lying on the ground, helpless, made the situation seem all the more personal and real It helped solidify the feelings of dread that Strutt was trying to
Global Context
William Strutt Painting “Black Thursday” Australia has a unique but dark past when it comes to its colonial history. Remnants of this past still linger as significant problems for the modern era. These problems expose themselves in many aspects of the Australian culture such as politics, social ques, and art. If a foreigner, such as myself, takes a look at Australian art, I take it in at face value. It would take lots of research to determine any cultural undertones. When I first gazed upon William Strutt’s painting “Black Thursday” I thought that it was interesting. That was about it. It wasn’t until I did my own research of the painting that I was able to see a new perspective of the painting, one that coincides with Australia’s dark colonial history. The foundation of the …show more content…
Just three years after a bush fire left a path of destruction throughout southern Australia. But this wasn’t any bush fire, this was the largest bush fire in recorded history to ever strike civilization (Athenaeum Gallery.1883 p. 3). The fire burned to a crisp nearly a quarter of Victoria, over 5 million hectares. (Bushfires) Leaving in its trail of devastation over one million sheep dead, thousands of cattle killed, and twelve people lost. (Howitt) The Painting “Black Thursday” serves as a clear visual representation of the devastation caused by the bush fire. It depicts settlers and animals in clear distress as they try to flee a raging fire behind them. To add to the fear, there are dead carcasses in the foreground of the painting, next to a dead Kangaroo. There is something about the dead Kangaroo that really resonates with destruction. It is the animal most closely associated with Australia its also quick and strong. Seeing it lying on the ground, helpless, made the situation seem all the more personal and real It helped solidify the feelings of dread that Strutt was trying to