Painted decoration at Valetta

The former ornately painted and stencilled interiors at ‘Valetta’, a modest house in the Sydney suburb of Petersham, were featured in a display.

The decoration, carried out in a range of styles around the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was the work of one-time Valetta resident, Frederick Atterton. Atterton was a painter, decorator, sign-writer and embosser of glass who learnt the trade from his father. His decoration, which was typical of the time, can be startling to the modern eye.

Valetta was built for Reverend Priddle in 1874, but was home to Atterton from 1889 to 1929.

On display were original sections of painted plaster as well as photographs of the some of the remarkable painted interiors at Valetta.

Past exhibition

  • 13 August 2012 - 9 November 2012