When it came to choosing one of the gallery’s art works, Director of the National Gallery of Victoria Gerard Vaughan was quick to elect an iconic Australian painting called The Pioneer, by Frederick McCubbin in 1904.

The three phases in the painting speak not only of the steady thriving of an immigrating family, but the growth of a city viewed by many as the cultural heart of Australia. The Pioneer shows the passing of time and this country’s burgeoning spirit and culture. 

“It was commissioned at the time of Federation so is a celebration not only of Melbourne, but of the spirit of Australia,” says Vaughan. “Governments have always strongly supported the arts in Melbourne and I think having classic, iconic pieces like this in the gallery also shows that this state has some of the most incredible collections of Australian art people can see. It’s not just visual arts that are celebrated so much here; its music, theatre, film – it all happens down here in Melbourne.”