Pre-Felton works donated by Clarke or bought on his advice
Baxter Rose of England 1861 {1864} NGV [PA]
* Baxter Rosebud of England 1861 {1864} Loc? [PA]
Imitation Greek vases donated 1862: see Decorative Arts – Introduction
Clarke, who spent his career largely in the British army, held significant administrative posts in Victoria during the 1850s, and retained his interest in the colony after returning to military life in England in 1859. In 1863, he helped his cousin Marcus Clarke migrate to Australia.
Andrew Clarke was responsible for some of the first acquisitions for the Melbourne collection, as noted above. Their indifferent quality seems to support the Leonard Cox’s view that Clarke had limited artistic knowledge, although his ADB biographer takes a more benevolent view.
Refs.
See Galbally First Collections (1992), cat.no.3 (the extant Baxter portrait); Cox NGV (1970), pp.9 and 405; and http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/clarke-sir-andrew-3219 (by Betty Malone; 1st publ. in ADB vol.3, 1969)