Smike Streeton age 24

Roberts employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, allowing light to fall across the sitter’s face and shirt while the surrounding space recedes into shadow. The background consists of vertical brushstrokes rendered in greens, yellows and reds, suggesting an abstracted landscape that complements the impressionistic handling of form and colour.

Born in England, Roberts trained in Melbourne before further study in Europe, returning to Australia in 1885. He quickly became a leading figure in the Heidelberg School, organizing outdoor painting camps with peers such as Streeton. The portrait has remained in public ownership, currently displayed by the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The painting emerges from a period when Australian artists were embracing plein‑air methods, seeking to capture the local light and atmosphere. Roberts and Streeton collaborated extensively in the bush, and this intimate portrait reflects both the personal bond between the two and the broader shift toward a distinctly Australian impressionist aesthetic.