A colonial palimpsest: Benjamin Duterrau's portrayals of Aboriginal people

Abstract

This thesis argues for Benjamin Duterrau’s merited place in Australian colonial art history. It examines Duterrau’s depictions of Aborigines, both formally and contextually, seeking to reignite interest in Duterrau’s work and its importance in contemporary society. On a more general level, it is concerned with visual European responses to Aborigines and how those responses may be read by a modern-day audience.