Tom Roberts, painter and photographer, was born on 8 March 1856 at Dorchester, Dorset, England. He arrived in Geelong on 22 June 1869, and settled in Collingwood.

In his early years Tom Roberts was encouraged to paint plein-air by Louis Buvelot and his interest in plein-air painting was further stimulated by a study tour of Europe between 1881 and 1885. In 1889, he exhibited 62 works in the 9 x 5 Impression Exhibition.

On 30 April 1896, he married 35 year old, Elizabeth (Lillie) Williamson at St. Hilary’s Anglican Church, East Kew. In 1903, the couple travelled to London. They returned in 1923 and settled at ‘Talisman’, their small cottage on half an acre, in Kallista.

Tom Roberts, who was known as ‘Bulldog’ to his friends, died at ‘Talisman’ on 14 September 1931, and his ashes are buried in the Illawarra churchyard, near Longford, Tasmania.

Shearing the Rams painted in 1890 is one of the most famous of Australia's classic paintings which still finds great popularity today.