Bronwyn Thomas Collection
Key items in the collection
The collection contains about 200 books and periodicals, mostly relating to Chinese art, including a number of works in Chinese. It also includes works on Chinese history, language and literature, reprints of early travel accounts, and translations of classical and modern authors. Notable titles include:
- James Cahill, A History of Later Chinese Painting 1279–1950 (1976–78)
- Joan Cohen, The New Chinese Painting, 1949–1986 (1987)
- Thomas Lawton, Chinese Figure Painting (1973)
- Zehou Li, The Path of Beauty: A Study of Chinese Aesthetics (1988)
- Howard Rogers and Sherman Lee, Masterworks of Ming and Qing Painting from the Forbidden City (1988)
- Ch`ung-nien Yen, Beijing: The Treasures of an Ancient Capital (1987)
- Zhuoyun Yu, Palaces of the Forbidden City (1984)
- Anzhi Zhang, A History of Chinese Painting (1992).
In addition to the Chinese books, the collection contains art books collected by Thomas during her travels in Asia, the Americas and Europe. Examples include:
- Andrew Harvey, A Journey to Ladakh (1983)
- Henri Stierlin, The Art of the Maya (1981).
The personal papers of Thomas are extensive. They include notebooks; diaries (1986–99); condolence letters following the death of Laurie Thomas; correspondence and research files; exhibition catalogues, flyers and invitations; lecture notes; photograph albums; and slides. The research files mostly relate to Chinese art.
About Bronwyn Thomas
Early life and education
Bronwyn Jean Dorothy Tricks (1923–2000) was born in Melbourne. She attended Firbank Church of England Girls Grammar School and Melbourne Technical College, where she studied drawing at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School.
Career and personal life
Bronwyn moved to Brisbane with her first husband, Fergus Yeates. There, she studied painting with Jan Molvig and taught drawing in the Department of Architecture at the University of Queensland. After her marriage ended, she travelled extensively in Europe and Asia from 1959 onwards.
In 1966, she married Laurie Thomas (1915–1974), a gallery director and art critic, and moved to Sydney. Bronwyn was director of the Bonython Gallery from 1971 to 1974, and then director of the Australian Centre for Photography from 1974 to 1978.
Interest in Chinese art and culture
In the last 20 years of her life, Bronwyn became deeply interested in Chinese art and culture. She first visited China in 1980 and later studied Chinese at the University of Sydney and in Beijing.
Between 1989 and 1992, she lived in Beijing, where she taught English and helped galleries organise exhibitions. After returning to Sydney, she continued to support Chinese artists, especially those living in Australia, and was active in groups like the China Education Centre (Australia).
Background to the collection
The Bronwyn Thomas Collection was donated by Andrew Yeates, Thomas’s son, in 2001–02. Thomas had previously donated the papers of Laurie Thomas in 1975.
The Chinese-language books in the Bronwyn Thomas Collection have been integrated into the Chinese holdings of the Asian Collections, while the English-language items have been added to the general collection. Housed in the Manuscripts Collection is the personal papers, together with additional papers of Laurie Thomas.
This guide was prepared using these references:
- John Aland, Bronwyn Thomas 1923–2000, Art and Australia, vol. 39 (1), September 2001, pp. 68–9.
- Barry Pearce, Laurence Nicholas Barrett Thomas, Australian Dictionary of Biography online.
- Jill Sykes, Obituary of Bronwyn Thomas, Sydney Morning Herald, 10 June 2000, p. 42.
Continue your journey
More to explore
Chinatown, Darwin, 1930, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136768825