Charles Rodius

1802 – 1860

Charles Rodius (aka Rhodius) was born in Germany and went to England sometime before 1829, when he was convicted of stealing a reticule and transported to NSW for seven years. He was immediately employed as an architectural draughtsman and drawing teacher by the Department of Public Works, and also gave drawing lessons to children of prominent residents of Sydney. He attained his freedom in 1841, by which time he had completed two series of portraits of Aborigines, other portraits in 'French crayon' and oils, and a number of landscapes. A portrait of Leichhardt by Rodius was exhibited in the Society for the Promotion of the Fine Arts in Australia exhibition of 1857.

Updated 2021

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Portraits
(view all 4)

Self portrait
c. 1849

Charles Rodius
Charles Rodius age 47

John Knatchbull, Murderer of Mrs Ellen Jamieson
1844

Charles Rodius, Hiberian Printing Office
Charles Rodius age 42

Fine and dandy

Magazine article by Joanna Gilmour, 2010

Whether the result of misadventure or misdemeanour, many accomplished artists were transported to Australia where they ultimately left a positive mark on the history of art in this country.

Elegance in exile

Portrait drawings from colonial Australia

Previous exhibition, 2012

Elegance in exile is an exhibition surveying the work of Richard Read senior, Thomas Bock, Thomas Griffiths Wainewright and Charles Rodius: four artists who, though exiled to Australia as convicts, created many of the most significant and elegant portraits of the colonial period.

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Charles Rodius

1802 – 1860

Portraits (view all 4)

Self portrait c. 1849

Charles Rodius Charles Rodius age 47

John Knatchbull, Murderer of Mrs Ellen Jamieson 1844

Charles Rodius, Hiberian Printing Office Charles Rodius age 42