Image Alexander Schramm: 'Adelaide, a tribe of natives on the banks of the river Torrens' 1850

TLF ID M014294

This is a painting made in 1850 by Australian colonial artist Alexander Schramm depicting Kaurna people, sheltering under gum trees in Adelaide parkland. The painting is shown as an enlargeable image and in a video. Text onscreen gives information on Schramm’s life and practice as he is known for his sympathetic representation of Aboriginal people during colonial times. The video soundtrack provides visual analysis, discussing the narrative detail of the painting representing Aboriginal people immersed in their daily lives. The painting measures 86.7 cm high x 130.2 cm wide and was painted with oil on canvas.





Educational details

Educational value
  • This is an excellent resource for the Responding strand in the visual arts curriculum for students in the middle and upper primary school years, especially for those content descriptions that refer to considering the broader context of works of art, such as their social, cultural and historical context. It is also useful for content descriptions in the years 5 and 9 history curriculum that refer to aspects of the daily life of the inhabitants, including Aboriginal peoples, and to the effects of contact between European settlers in Australia and Aboriginal peoples.
  • The work is of considerable significance for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures cross-curriculum priority. It exemplifies part of the second organising idea in relation to Aboriginal peoples: the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can be viewed through historical, social and political lenses. The context of Alexander Schramm's (1813-64) work and his choice of subject matter make this clear.
Year level

3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9

Other details

Contributors
  • Contributor
  • Name: Education Services Australia
  • Organization: Education Services Australia
  • Description: Data manager
  • Address: VIC, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://www.esa.edu.au/
  • Person: Alexander Schramm
  • Description: Artist
  • Copyright Holder
  • Name: National Gallery of Australia
  • Organization: National Gallery of Australia
  • Address: ACT, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://nga.gov.au/
  • Publisher
  • Name: National Gallery of Australia
  • Organization: National Gallery of Australia
  • Description: Publisher
  • Address: ACT, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://nga.gov.au/
  • Resource metadata contributed by
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organisation: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Address: AUSTRALIA
  • URL: www.esa.edu.au
Access profile
  • Unknown
Learning Resource Type
  • Image
  • Text
  • Video
Rights
  • © National Gallery of Australia 2013 (except where otherwise indicated). This material may be used, reproduced, published, communicated and adapted free of charge for non-commercial educational purposes until 30 June 2018, provided all copyright notices and acknowledgements are retained.