During the 1st Century BC, the peninsula of Italy was the leading cultural, political and religious centre of Western civilisation, with an influence so widespread that it has left its mark in republican governments and the Latin script.

Photography was introduced to Australia in the 1840s, but technological limitations meant that images were shot on glass plates which took 12 hours to develop in the sun. In the 1840’s and 50s, Australia’s photographers were mainly from the US or Europe and travelled around the nation selling portraits to those who could afford it.