ABSTRACT
Even a cursory glance at the collections of the national galleries demonstrates the desirability of the Old Masters for Australia. Acquisitions of artworks by famous artists regularly triggered celebratory or sniping commentary in Australian newspapers about valuable prizes won, mistaken attributions, or squandered funds. This chapter assesses the role played by the Old Masters from the UK in narratives concerning Australian national identity, but also the function they served as teaching aids for Australian artists.
