Casts for the bronze doors at the entrance of the Mitchell Library, ca. 1940 / manufactured by Wunderlich Ltd.

fonds

[ca. 1940]

992005

During the construction of the new Mitchell Library which commenced in 1940, Wunderlich Ltd. was contracted to cast in bronze a series of plaques for the new entrance doors. The plaques were cast from sculptures done by Arthur Fleischmann showing European explorers of Australia, and Ralph Walker, Frank Lynch, E. Lenegan and Daphne Mayo depicting Aboriginal life.

To prepare for the bronze casting, the modeler at Wunderlich had first to cast plaster moulds from the originals in order to adjust the clearances and cuts of the sculpted profiles to suit the techniques in sand casting. The plaster moulds were kept by Wunderlich until 1973 when they were returned to the Library.

References:
A source of inspiration & delight : the buildings of the State Library of New South Wales since 1826 / David J. Jones. Sydney : Library Council of New South Wales, c1988.
Library correspondence file

Series 1:
Plaster casts of navigators and explorers on bronze entrance doors of the Mitchell Library, ca. 1940 / manufactured by Wunderlich Ltd.
Presented by Wunderlich Ltd., January 1973

Series 2:
Plaster casts for the bronze entrance doors of the Mitchell Library, Aboriginal Australians and a Boomerang thrower, ca. 1940 / manufactured by Wunderlich Ltd. from a sculpture by Ralph T. Walker
Presented by Mr. Rex Beauchamp, December 1988
Pic.Acc.6661

Series 3:
Plaster cast of The Medicine [sic] man Arundta [sic] Tribe for bronze entrance door of the Mitchell Library, ca. 1940 / manufactured by Wunderlich Ltd. from a sculpture by E. Lenegan
Presented by Helen Kon, May 1999

Series 4:
Plaster cast of Carrying euro, Arunta Tribe, for the bronze entrance door of the Mitchell Library, ca. 1940 / manufactured by Wunderlich Ltd. from a sculpture by Daphne Mayo
Purchased from Ancanthe (Jane Lennon), June 2014

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Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales