{"product_id":"state-library-victoria-slv-the-forecourt-suburban-icon-poster","title":"State Library Victoria The Forecourt Suburban Icon Poster","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn enduring symbol of knowledge, culture and civic pride, the grand neoclassical façade of State Library Victoria has stood on Swanston Street since 1856. As Australia’s oldest public library and one of the first in the world to offer free access, it has remained a beloved Melbourne landmark for generations of readers, students, artists and visitors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOut front lies one of the CBD’s rare green spaces. Once enclosed by picket fences and later wrought-iron gates, the lawn was opened up in 1939 with the addition of diagonal paths, creating the welcoming forecourt we know today. Now it’s a favourite place to lounge in the sun, flick through a book, play giant chess or simply take a breather between shops, trams and lectures at nearby RMIT.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the centre stands the bronze statue of Sir Redmond Barry, the Library’s founder, benefactor and one of Melbourne’s most influential civic figures. Barry helped shape the Library from its earliest days and even placed his family crest above the entrance. Best known for sentencing bushranger Ned Kelly, Barry died just twelve days after the trial, an unusually dramatic ending to the life of one of Melbourne’s great civic figures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, the forecourt has become a meeting place as much as an entrance, where the grandeur of the Library meets the everyday rhythm of Melbourne.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Suburban Icons print celebrates not just a magnificent building, but a civic gathering place layered with history, ambition and the everyday moments that make the city feel like home.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Suburban Icons Travel Posters","offers":[{"title":"A4 (21 × 29.7 cm)","offer_id":58224293413167,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (29.7 × 42 cm)","offer_id":58224293445935,"sku":null,"price":75.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A2 (42 × 59.4 cm)","offer_id":58224293478703,"sku":null,"price":100.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A1 (59.4 × 84.1 cm)","offer_id":58224293511471,"sku":null,"price":150.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0985\/8629\/6623\/files\/state-library-victoria-the-forecourt-suburban-icon-poster.jpg?v=1784343699","url":"https:\/\/suburbanicons.com.au\/products\/state-library-victoria-slv-the-forecourt-suburban-icon-poster","provider":"Suburban Icons Travel Posters","version":"1.0","type":"link"}