History on show

A COLLECTION of agricultural and sporting trophies from the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra is on display at the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery.

Sixteen silver objects have been loaned as part of the Sharing the National Collection initiative with many of them have South Australian connections either with the silversmith or the award.

Racing, shooting, rowing, coursing and boxing are represented in the sporting trophies, while agricultural accolades were awarded for ploughing, butter, best Hereford cow, best bull and wool.

The National Gallery’s Head of Art Across Australia Tracy Cooper-Lavery discussed the collection at a recent exhibition opening in Naracoorte.

She said there were about 155,000 items in the National Gallery collection and about 98 per cent of these were usually in storage.

“The financial support and Government commitment to this initiative has allowed us to share the national collection with more Australians outside city centres than ever before,” she said.

“What better way to learn stories about place and community than through the awarding of prizes for agriculture and sport.”

The Naracoorte Gallery was one of the first to submit a loan request for the program about 18 months ago.

A star exhibit is the Currie Cup awarded by R. Goldsborough and Co, wool brokers in Melbourne on 4 February 1862.

It is a grand piece of silversmithing featuring sheep, kangaroos, wool bales, dogs, grapes and a farmer with a shepherd’s crook.

On the finial is a Merino ram – it was awarded to J.L. Currie, Esquire for the best sample of Australian grown wool to be exhibited at Goldsborough’s wool warehouses.

South Australian silversmiths represented in the trophy display include J.M. Wendt, Charles E. Firnhaber and Henry Steiner.

A total of 33 partnerships with galleries and institutions outside of Canberra have been arranged by the National Gallery and about one million people have seen the items loaned and on display so far.

In South Australia the Waverley Park Homestead at Willunga and Gallery M at Oaklands Park have items on loan, as does the Horsham Regional Art Gallery in Victoria.

Many works loaned can be seen on the National Gallery website – nga.com.au

Federal Minister for the Arts Tony Burke said art was made to be seen, not kept in a dark room.

“The vast majority of the incredible works at the National Gallery of Australia are in storage at any one time,” Minister Burke said. “With this program these works will be lit up on the walls of regional and suburban galleries across the country.”

The trophies will be on loan for two years.

In support of these national treasures, the Naracoorte Gallery has organised an exhibition of local trophies entitled ‘Country Crowns’.

Trophies have been loaned by the Naracoorte Golf Club, which had Dr Pat Pavy as a founder – Dr Pavy built the house which the gallery occupies.

The Naracoorte Show Society has loaned prize ribbons and trophies and also posters of newspaper front pages relating to the 1960s Rotary Wool Shows.

Naracoorte solicitors Westley DiGiorgio Norcock have loaned two large photographs of prize winning 1920s Collinsville Merino stud rams.

Cadgee Park Racing trainers Sue and Jason Jaensch have contributed a silk horse blanket won in 1994 by Wozdac Hill and the crystal trophy to go with it, as well as several photo finish pictures of the champion racehorses they have trained.

The local trophies are on display until July 25 while the National Gallery’s trophies will be on show until 2027.