What's the link? on the 18 April, 1872, Lucien Henry, aged 21, was condemned to death for his involvement in the student uprising of 1871 vis Les Miserables! Lucien had become disenchanted with French Society, a university course in arts that catered only for the rich. He wanted an art course that gave him a trade in sculpture and works for public spaces and thus his involvement. His sentence was commuted to exile and imprisonment to New Caledonia. | He was granted amnesty in 1879 and came to Sydney. He established himself as a painter and within several months was receiving commissions. He was one of the first artists to include elements of australian nature in sculpture and stained glass window work. He was an accomplished lanscape artist who favoured the cliffs and coast around sydney.The stone entrance gates to Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens bear his carved floral garlands (of Australian flowers - not English! |