Theresa Walker

Theresa Susannah Eunice Snell Walker (1807 – 16 April 1876) was Australia's first woman sculptor and the first resident Australian artist to be shown in the Royal Academy of Arts in London. An artist, photographer, sculptor and wax modeller, she is best known for her low relief wax profile portraits.

Walker visited Van Diemen's Land in 1837 where she met and married Lieutenant John Walker, harbour-master at Launceston. They returned to Adelaide where he set up as a merchant in Hindley Street, Adelaide. Their town acre came with a country section they named Havering on the Upper Torrens River. In 1838 Martha Berkeley, Walker's sister, painted the portraits of both Theresa and John Walker.

In 1838 the village (now suburb) of Walkerville was named after John Walker. In 1841 Lt. Walker (also known as Captain Walker) suffered reverses during the State's depression and was imprisoned for bankruptcy. After his release the Walkers moved interstate ending up in Launceston where John Walker died in. the Art Gallery of South Australia, the National Gallery of Australia and the State Library of Victoria. The State Library of South Australia has listed 24 photographs of 'wax bust' profiles dated 1838-1845. An example of her work is also held by the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Twice married and twice widowed, Walker died in South Yarra on 16 April 1876.

Works in Collections

Art Gallery of South Australia Kartamiru (also known as Murlawirrapurka, King John and Onkaparinga Jack) c.1840 Mukata, wife of King John (also known as Pretty Mary) c.1840 Sir George Grey c1845 at National Portrait Gallery John Clark of Cluny, Tasmania 1848 at National Gallery of Australia

Exhibitions

1841 Royal Academy, London 1848 Adelaide 1845, 1847, 1849 Sydney 1853, 1861 Melbourne 1857 Geelong