Public art galleries such as the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) have as part of their charter a responsibility to make their collections ‘accessible’ to the public. Apart from exhibiting their works, one of the most important ways of achieving this is to publish the collection in book form. The danger for galleries is being over-ambitious, as the National Gallery of Australia was with its Australian Art, and to produce a book that is more a monument than a book. They become monolithic in size and scope, resulting in a book that is accessible neither in price nor readability. The NGV has avoided this with their Two Centuries of Australian Art by partnering with the resurrected Craftsman House. Bernard Smith provides a very brief but informative and thoughtful commentary for each of the four sections on colonial, national, modern and contemporary Australian art. In each case this is followed by a well-chosen range of colour images that reflect the NGV’s extensive Australian collection. The chapter on contemporary Australian art is the most accessible overview of the area currently in publication and will be popular with teachers and students. At 176 pages and $65 this is a book that is well conceived and accessible in price as well as in content.

Richard Harling is head of retailing and wholesaling and merchandising activities at the Art Gallery of NSW

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