The Sunny South (painting)
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| The Sunny South | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Tom Roberts |
| Year | 1887 |
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 30.8 cm × 61.4 cm (12.1 in × 24.2 in) |
| Location | National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne |
The Sunny South is an 1887 painting by the Australian artist Tom Roberts.[1] The painting depicts a group of boys swimming naked at Ricketts Point at Beaumaris, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne.[2]
The painting was acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria in 1940 with funds from the Felton Bequest.[1]
The title appears to be a triple entendre. The title refers to the popular show titled The Sunny South, which was a popular play first produced in Melbourne by George Darrell and starring Essie Jenyns in 1883,[3] four years before the painting was finished, then taken to London. Ricketts Point, Beaumaris, is a seaside suburb to the south of Melbourne particularly popular during summertime. The third reference could be to the exposed backside of the central figure in the painting.
