Tom Roberts - Opening of the First Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia

Tom Roberts - Opening of the First Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia by HRH Duke of Cornwall and York, May 9, 1901

Australian $2.45 stamp issued 3 May 2001 - Centenary of Federation

Painting held at the Australian Parliament House Canberra

This 12 by 18 foot painting is now held in the Parliament House Collection in Canberra - details on the people and ceremony  have also been well documented on the Parliament Website.  It was completed in 1903, some two years after the opening of this first parliament of Australia, which happened in Melbourne.  (Canberra did not exist at the time).  Tom Roberts and Charles Nuttall were resident artists during the sitting of this first parliament, as they were well established artists at this time when TV was a long way off.  

Tom Roberts was from the Heidelberg School of Art - his works have been used on other Australian stamps:

Mentone Impression, 1888

Shearing the Rams, 1888