Historical information

John Shirlow (1869-1936)

John Shirlow was the first Australian to make etching the basis of his career. Schooled in Melbourne, he studied for a time with Artur Loureiro and attended design classes at the National Gallery School from 1890 to 1895. Specialising in renderings of old Melbourne buildings, which are now of great historical interest, he drew directly onto the plate in reverse. In 1929 he founded etching classes at the Working Men's Institute. Throughout his life a prominent figure on the Victorian art scene, he was involved in various choirs and bushwalked with R.H. Croll and C.J. Dennis. He was a Trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria from 1922 to 1936. (http://www.portrait.gov.au/people/john-shirlow-1869)

Physical description

Bookplate "Ex Libris R.H. Croll Solvitur Ambulando" by John Shirlow

This Ex Libris Etching was released as Part of P. Neville Barnett`s ``Pictorial Book Plates`` Privately Published and Released as a Limited Edition ``de luxe`` Version, The Publication was Edition Number 95 of 100, Year of Publication: 1931

Inscriptions & markings

Etched bookplate "Ex Libris R.H. Croll Solvitur Ambulando" showing a boy with swag and billy reading a book as he walks towards the rising sun. Shirlow with 1923 printed lower left beneath the image.