The Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens have been captured by artists since their creation in 1879. The aspect most frequently depicted is the south-east corner from Nicholson Street; then come views of the south entrance with the Hochgurtel fountain and pleasure lakes framing the magnificent façade.
The south-west corner of the building is poorly represented in artistic renditions, but some terrific images from the 1880s and early 1900s do exist, as these examples (all in the museum’s collection) demonstrate.
Museum staff, archaeologists and architects working on the World Heritage, World Futures project studied these images carefully when planning the garden reconstruction. As artistic interpretations they cannot be taken literally, but they provide a sense of what the site must have looked like in its early decades, and how it was used by visitors to the Exhibition Building and Carlton Garden.
Watercolour - The Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Framed, 1880
Large framed watercolour of the Exhibition Building, built in Carlton Gardens, Melbourne between 1879 and 1880 for the Melbourne International Exhibition. The watercolour was probably painted by the architect of the Exhibition Building, Joseph Reed, ...
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Watercolour - The Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Framed, 1880
Large framed watercolour of the Exhibition Building, built in Carlton Gardens, Melbourne between 1879 and 1880 for the Melbourne International Exhibition. The watercolour was probably painted by the architect of the Exhibition Building, Joseph Reed, ...
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Postcard - Western Facade & Forecourt, Exhibition Building, Harding & Billing, Melbourne, circa 1905
This is a colour postcard of the western facade and forecourt of the Exhibition Building circa 1905. The postcard, which is unused, was made by Harding & Billing, Sydney & Auckland.
During the 1888-1889 Centennial International Exhibition temporary...
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Photograph - Main Exhibition Building from Corner of Spring and Victoria Street, Carlton, 1880-1881
International Exhibition Melbourne, 1880: view of the Exhibition Building looking north-east from the corner of Rathdowne and Victoria Streets.
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Postcard - Southern Facade, Exhibition Building, Australian Youth Series, Melbourne, post 1905
This is a black & white postcard of the Exhibition Building, showing the Hochgurtel Fountain under construction, made post 1905. The postcard, which is unused, was printed as part of the 'Australian Youth Series'.
The photograph on this postcard was...
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