Henry Gritten

Henry Gritten was born in London in 1818 and started painting at the early age of fourteen. He traveled through Europe, the United States and Australia, arriving in Melbourne in 1850 to try his fortune on the Victorian goldfields, he then moved to Sydney in 1854 and Hobart in 1856. He remained in Hobart until 1863 when he moved back to Melbourne. Gritten was an early member of the Victorian Academy of Art and helped found the organization. He died in 1873 at the age of fifty-five with little wealth to his name. His works can be seen in many major Australian art galleries and museums.