[A view of the west side of Sydney Cove, Port Jackson, ca. 1802]

XV/193

fonds

[ca. 1802]

Graphic Materials, Drawings

9588557

1 drawing - black ink wash on wove paper - 51.1 x 67.9 cm

A black ink wash drawing within a black ink ruled border on paper of a topographical work which depicts a view of the Sydney settlement on the western side of Sydney Cove. The view takes in the distinctive Norfolk Pine tree in the Government House garden on the far left, to the Government Dry Store just beyond Government Wharf, the Magazine and Military Barracks above the store, the three-storey Granary to the right, to the classical proportions of the Orphan School with its fenced grounds running down to the shore of the cove. The clock tower above the parade ground can be seen on the sky line. The Second Government Windmill also dominates on the heights above the settlement and the new gaol building is behind the long, low wall on the shore below. On the extreme right of the view can be seen the start of Hospital Wharf. A ship is anchored in the cove and in the central foreground are two Aboriginal canoes. The central canoe has three people in it, the figure at the front of the canoe is standing and fishing with a long spear. The canoe on the right depicts two other Aboriginal people, who are cooking fish in their canoe, the smoke rising from the prow.

Out of copyright: Creator died before 1955
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Titled and dated by cataloguer.

The National Library of Australia holds a companion piece, done by the same hand, [Sydney Harbour], [ca. 1803], 1 wash drawing, 45.5 x 63 cm, Rex Nan Kivell Collection ; NK5001.

Both drawings are stained in an identical manner, along the bottom margin and are stylistically identical. When placed together, these two drawings make a pair, depicting a continuous view from Hospital Wharf along to Dawes Point; the entire western side of Sydney Cove.

The work held in the National Library is also unsigned and undated, however Tim McCormick in First views of Australia 1788-1825, Sydney, 1987 has attributed a tentative date of 1802-1803 due to the presence of Campbell’s Wharf (1802) and there being no evidence of Fort Phillip (building commenced in 1804). It was noted by McCormick that the National Library’s work is stylistically quite unlike any other drawing of Sydney from this period.

Artist unknown.

Unsigned and no title.

No date. Date based on comparison to [Sydney Cove looking to the west, ca. 1800], held at ML 443. Likewise, A view of the west side of Sydney cove, [c.1803 / attributed to G. W. Evans], held at DG V1/73, is also very similar, documenting all of the same landmarks and topographical features that are depicted in this work.