Download or read book Visions of Colonial Grandeur written by Charlotte H. F. Smith and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Visions of Colonial Grandeur explores Melbourne'sinternational exhibitions through the art collection of 19th-century businessmanJohn Twycross. John Twycross, also known as Top Hat, was a merchant and artcollector who lived and worked in 'Marvellous Melbourne'. In this boom periodof the 1880s, a confident Melbourne hosted two international exhibitions andthe best and latest in trade and culture was seen by millions in the newly-built(Royal) Exhibition Building. Twycross was an enthusiastic participant in thegrowing Melbourne art market and, during his frequent visits to the internationalexhibitions, purchased hundreds of exquisite fine art objects and paintings,building a collection that was treasured by four generations of the Twycross family and isnow part of the Museum Victoria collection. This unique book features both archival photographs andcolour images of some of the beautiful and significant art works in the Twycrosscollection. It is also an insightful study of the development of a collection,exploring the world of the international exhibitions and the thriving art tradein 19th-century Melbourne.