Until 26 April, 2011, the
Museum of Sydney will be hosting it's very own Edwardian Summer.
While the reference is well taken - recalling as it does the golden age just before the First World War - the Edwardian Summer is not a period of time, but rather an exhibition of photography.
The photographer, Arthur Wigram Allen was a Sydney lawyer, who harboured a deep fascination for the zeitgeist of his era, bordered as it was by the startling achievements that defined Queen Victoria's reign and the horror of World War One.
This final, golden summer produced some of Arthur Allen's most beautiful, intimate and touching photographs as they took to the harbour by boat and on the beach. Apart from the antiquated fashions and the strange elegance of the figure that surrounded him, the photographic collection provides an intriguing insight into the aesthetic of Sydney during this era.
The exhibition also contains works from such artistic figures as Rupert Bunny, Ethel Carrick Fox, Arthur Streeton and Grace Cossington Smith. It also show-cases some of the fashion that defined the era, including outfits worn for these long short summer jaunts, jewels, accessories, and children's dress-ups.
The prices are reasonable, with significant discounts for families and concessions. Adult tickets cost only $10, with children and seniors able to gain entry for a mere $5. There is even the option to buy a family package for $20. Members of the
Historic Houses Trust can even enter for free.
