The quarantined culture : Australian reactions to modernism, 1913-1939 /
John F. Williams.
- viii, 288 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.
- Studies in Australian history .
- Studies in Australian history. .
Includes bibliographical references (pages 254-280) and index.
Introduction -- The mad kermesse -- 1913: a year of golden plums -- 1913: nowadays we are most of us Nietzscheans -- 1914-19: the gilding of battlefield lilies -- 1919-20: blowing the national trumpet -- The return of the city bushmen -- Aliens among us -- Blues in the Jazz Age -- Fissure in the imperial landscape -- Crash and aftermath -- Whatever happened to the 'lost generation'? -- Conclusion. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
"In 1913 the Australian press displayed a cosmopolitan openness to the culture of the modern world. By 1919, however, Australia had become an inward-looking society bent on keeping the outside world out - a quarantined culture. This book looks at the impact of the First World War on Australian culture, focussing on reactions to modernist art. John Williams argues that the creation of the Anzac legend, the back-to-the-land movement, notions of racial superiority and the mythology of the masculine nation were reactionary and anti-modern. Reflecting this, Australian pioneers of post-impressionism were ignored in favour of more traditional artists. This engaging book outlines the forces - social, economic, cultural, political - which led to the stagnation of Australian culture between the wars. John Williams' original and provocative work will make an important contribution to Australian cultural history."--Publisher description.