The Art of the Collection is a celebration of the State Library of Victoria's Picture Collection-the oldest visual documentary collection in Australia. Acting on its mandate to collect and preserve Victoria's documentary heritage, the Library acquires paintings, maps, diaries and documents that showcase all facets of Victorian life, past and present. The Library has an extensive collection of art works and a permanent display of 150 works in the Cowen Gallery. The works illustrate Victoria's landscape, early Melbourne scenes, and significant events and figures in the European exploration and settlement of Australia. The works range from early eighteenth and nineteenth century portraits, busts to contemporary portraits and scenes of Melbourne and Victoria from the 1800s until now. Works of some of our most celebrated and talented Australian artists are in the collection and showcased in this book: Eug ne von Gu rard, John Glover, Frederick McCubbin, Albert Tucker, Ian Fairweather, Lina Bryans, Jan Senbergs, Juan Davila and Howard Arkley to name but a few.