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The Gallery The Museum Conservation Acquisition

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The Gallery

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The Gallery has always specialised in Australian art. Its particular strength is in major works of the late 1800s, the Golden Period of Australian painting, and the Edwardian era. Traditional landscape painting is a feature of the collection. More contemporary artists are also well represented.

Earlier artists include Louis Buvelot, Fred McCubbin, Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton, Walter Withers, David Davies, E.Phillips Fox, Rupert Bunny, Max Meldrum, Percy Leason, R.W.Sturgess, John Russell, A.M.E.Bale, Hugh Ramsay, Dora Meeson, Clarice Beckett and John Longstaff.

Modernists include William Frater, Arnold Shore, Margaret Preston, Sybil Craig, Roland Wakelin, Russell Drysdale, Fred Williams, John Brack, Eric Thake, Albert Tucker, John Perceval, Clifton Pugh, Lloyd Rees, Ian Fairweather, Charles Bush and Roger Kemp.

More contemporary painters include Rick Amor, John Dent, Wendy Stavrianos, Ray Crooke, Robert Jacks, Jeffrey Smart, Ian Armstrong, Paul Cavell and Brian Dunlop.

The Higgins Bequest has enabled acquisition of a representative collection of Australian ceramics, both functional and non- functional.

The Gallery collects photographic images of Australian artists by Australian photographers and has built up a quality collection by such noted photographers as Max Dupain, David Moore, Richard Beck, Olive Cotton, May Moore, Pegg Clarke and Michel Lawrence.

Conservation Studio

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The Gallery and Museum is the only Victorian regional gallery with a studio where the latest conservation treatments and technology are available. It is staffed by a fully qualified and experienced conservator. The Curator, Kirsten McKay can be contacted for advice and restoration services.

Acquisition Policy

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The Gallery and Museum may acquire works as follows:

Paintings, drawings, sculpture, prints

• The work of an Australian-born artist or of one who has lived and worked in Australia
• An original work by a particular artist which depicts their own experience and expression of the visual world
• The work corresponds in strength to the existing collection and has a similar personal element to existing works by the same artist or depicts a progression from existing works.

Ceramics
May be functional or purely decorative.

• The work of an Australian-born ceramist or of one who has lived and worked in Australia.
• Has constructional integrity which is within the curatorial capacities of the Gallery to avoid damage.

Photography

• Photographic portrait depicting Australian artists (by Australian photographers wherever possible).
• Has some artistic merit rather than being purely a historical record of the subject's appearance.
• Freedom from copyright / permission to reproduce.

Historical artifacts
Items of historical relevance to Castlemaine and the Mount Alexander Goldfields District, such as:

• Three dimensional items
• Documents, books and photographs
• Textiles
• Scale models
• Artifacts with a clear connection with the Leviny family and their family house Buda

Acquisition Procedure

• Consultation between the Director, the Collections Committee and the General Committee
• Approval by a majority of the General Committee. All articles accepted for acquisition remain subject to the de-accession policy of a future General Committee.
• Subject to public scrutiny and in full compliance with the laws prevailing at the time acquisition is made.

Acknowledgement

• In the Annual Report for the year in which an article is donated.
• On the description of the article where attached for display purposes.
• Anonymity of donors only when requested and agreed to by the General Committee. However, such donors shall be noted in Gallery records not generally available to public view.

Tax deductions

• Over eighty works of art have been donated under the Cultural Gifts Program since 1978. The Gallery pays for all valuation fees. Further enquiries to the Director.
• Gifts of $2.00 and over are eligible for full income tax deduction. A tax deductible receipt will be issued.