A Convict's Brushstrokes: The Resilience of Richard Read Senior The history of Australian art is often written in the shadows of colonial struggle, and few figures embody this duality as poignantly as Richard Read Senior. Born in London around 1765, Read’s early life remains partially veiled by the mists of time, yet his presence in the annals of art is undeniable. Before his life was irrevocably altered by the hand of the law, he was a man of recognized skill in London, appearing in business directories as an animal painter. However, the trajectory of his destiny took a dramatic turn in Jul…