Spatial analysis of landscape art in 19th century Hobart

Prior to the development of photography, artists provided a visual record of lifestyle, development and landscape change. Many of these art works were used as attractors for migrants and tourists. The present paper evaluates the utility of GIS in determining changes in landscape preferences in 19th century Hobart. Images that overlap spatially and temporally are used to identify landscape changes and any shifts in aesthetic preference. Spatial analysis indicated that artists varied in the accuracy of their depiction of landscapes, with Frankland, the surveyor, being the most accurate. Mount Wellington attracted most of the artists, with most paintings depicting it from below. The spatial analysis approach was useful in determining that artistic license prevailed in most 19th century landscape art.