by Peter Butters

The Ballarat Fine Art Gallery was founded three decades after the Eureka Stockade, thanks to the generosity of that gentleman often referred to as the 'Father of Ballarat' - James Oddie.

Oddie came from Lancashire farming heritage but at the age of fifteen he was apprenticed as a moulder. He migrated from England with his young wife and baby daughter however, they died at the end of the voyage to Port Phillip and he was one of the first miners on the new Ballarat goldfield. He was the Chairman of Ballarat's first Municipal Council, and a great benefactor to this city. He provided the two hundred pound costs of the First Loan Exhibition of Pictures held in the Town Hall in 1884. Local artists displayed their works alongside other Colonial and British artists. The display included 'Golden Point' by Von Guerard, which was owned by Oddie. Oddie was treated most kindly by the press who noted ' in June 1884, Mr James Oddie, J.P. with a characteristic energy that brooks no restraint, and an equally characteristic generosity that knows no stint, conceived, and with the aid of numerous sympathisers with the movement successfully carried out his idea of establishing a permanent loan gallery ....'

After that successful exhibition Oddie was Chairman of a committee which established a temporary art gallery which was established in the Academy of Music, Lydiard Street, South rented from Sir W.J. Clarke at a nominal rent and Governor Loch opened the gallery on the 11th September of the same year, when on his first visit to Ballarat, with his wife. James Powell was appointed by the Committee as Secretary in August 1885. In late 1886 the Government sanctioned a two thousand pound vote for the purchase of pictures, the location of the new art gallery had been chosen, twenty-one perches of land, the site of the police barracks in Lydiard Street, North, east side approx. midway between Lydiard & Mair Streets.

The old barracks were vacated and demolished and the present art gallery building was erected, to the design of architects Tappin, Gilbert & Dennehy. The generosity of Oddie is again evident as he committed three thousand pound for debentures to assist the building fund. At this time the gallery only consisted of the upstairs section. Two shops were established, one either side of the front entrance, the rentals from which were to help defray the costs of interest on the debentures. Oddie indicated prior to leaving for Europe that he may bestow his collection of paintings on the gallery upon his return.

Early historian Withers informs us that Ballarat was the first provincial city in Australia to possess an art gallery which was open free to the public. He continues - "The architects description of the building is as follows - The Art Gallery has a frontage of 58 feet, with a depth of 100 feet. At present it is intended to only build a portion, viz the facade complete, with a depth of 77 feet. The ground plan is divided into two large shops, placed one on each side of a grand entrance 13 feet wide, which leads to a double flight of stone steps, each 6 feet 6 inches wide. Behind the stair case is the secretary's office and students' rooms. The first floor is merely two large rooms, lit from the ceilings, the main gallery being 55 feet long, 35 feet wide, and twenty four feet high; the back or water colour gallery being 55 x 20 x 22. The whole of the building is fire proof, and ventilated in accordance with the Tobin principle. The front which is 50 feet high, is divided into three bays by three-quarters round Corinthian columns, relieved by pediments, and crowned by the figure of Britannia, supported by figures representing arts and science. The basement will be in Doric order, the columns being rusticated. Material of basement, bluestone; rest of front, brick and cement. The shops may at future date be converted into students rooms.'

The 21st June 1887 was a big day, not only for Ballarat, but also for Lydiard Street. Queen Victoria's Jubilee was celebrated royally, thirty to forty thousand people heroically paced for hours through the mud in Sturt Street and Bridge Street. There was a great procession of friendly societies, fire brigades, old colonists and others; and the ceremonial laying of the foundation stones of the Art Gallery by Sir W.J. Clarke, the new Stock (Mining) Exchange by Thos.Stoddart, another great Ballarat benefactor, and the Old Colonist's Hall by the President John Murray. A Banquet was given to those three gentlemen in the afternoon.

The art gallery organisation was incorporated as the Ballarat Fine Art Public Gallery Association with Oddie as the President and Hon. Treasurer, and Sir W.J.Clarke and Thos. Stoddart as two of the Vice-Presidents. The new building was opened by Alfred Deakin, later Australia's first Prime Minister, on the 13th June 1890.

The local press covered the new gallery, noting '...After leaving the lobby the visitor comes to the flight of stone steps leading to the upper rooms. This is the widest flight of steps in Ballarat. On either side of the staircase the rooms are situated. As the visitor reaches the top of the staircase he faces the magnificent picture 'The horse fair'......A most striking picture in the large hall is that of 'Ajax and Cassandra' by Solomon, who has produced the most beautiful and taking picture.....' The paper also noted with respect to the water-colour painting 'Ballarat in the early times' that it 'is a picture in which the old pioneers of Ballarat will be greatly interested. It depicts the tents of the diggers in Ballarat East and other interesting items, which cannot fail to please the sturdy men who have effected such a remarkable alteration in the Golden City.' In an interesting closing sentence the paper added 'Visitors are, for obvious reasons, requested not to bring walking sticks to the gallery.'

With respect to the opening the paper summed up the situation with ' It will thus be seen that the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery has emerged from its perilous infancy, when many were disposed to despair of its permanent existence altogether, and has developed into a vigorous growth, full of present usefulness, and rife with promise for the future. It only needs a generous and systematic support at the hands of the local public to become a really great institution, reflecting high honour upon this city and town ...'

In late 1890, 'Letters to the Editor' even a great forum for debate over a century ago, were running hot with the 'sacrilegious' desire to open the gallery on the sabbath. Just prior to Christmas the paper noted 'to prevent the damage likely to accrue to the pictures if exposed to gaslight during the summer months, it was resolved to discontinue opening the galleries on Friday nights until next April.' That situation immediately makes one wonder about the problem of exposure to gas during the winter months.

Oddie corresponded with Von Guerard, another early Ballarat miner. Von Guerard retired from his position as Director of the National Gallery of Victoria in 1881 at the age of seventy and returned to Dusseldorf. Oddie commissioned him to paint a large canvas of Ballarat as it had been in 1853-4, as Von Guerard had kept his sketchbooks after thirty years, from the other side of the globe he painted his now renowned 'Old Ballarat'. He would however not exhibit the painting in Germany as he feIt that it would not be understood. It was also Oddie who was responsible for another of the Gallery's present drawcards, the location of the Eureka flag. Oddie was such an integral part of the gallery that its official opening was delayed until after his arrival back in Ballarat.

The Ballarat West Technical Art School was opened by the Gallery in November 1891 to assist local art students. In 1907 Ballarat's three Technical Art School's, the Art Gallery, East Public Library and the School of Mines merged to continue at the School of Mines.

The art gallery suffered the same fate as many of our other Victorian buildings, the verandahs were removed in the name of progress, and like many others, have now been returned. The two pyramidal verandahs have recently been replaced to compliment the fine facade of the art gallery, and the streetscape of our much complimented Lydiard Street.

Thankfully, the art gallery survives today, in its original, but enlarged building as a source of local culture and learning.