Works included in this catalogue Davies (H.) View on the River Yarra {1871} SLV [WT] * Davies (H.) The Wreck {1871} Loc? [WT] Born in Cornwall, Davies arrived in Melbourne by 1853. Initially, he was hailed as a fine water-colourist in the tradition of Turner, but later opinion was more critical, an 1863 reviewer describing
Works included in this catalogue Cook Near Arundel 1882 {1904} NGV [WT] * Cook Venice (Evening) 1889 {1892} Loc? [WT] Cook spent his childhood in Melbourne, having arrived in 1852, and studied at the National Gallery School under both Chevalier and von Guérard. Following his return to England in 1873, he led a long career as
Works included in this catalogue * Campi Emily {1876} Loc? [WT] * Campi Japanese {1876} Loc? [WT] Campi, a native of Milan, specialized in elegant society imagery; various examples still circulate on the international art market. [comparative work by Campi: The Perfect Rose (auctioned in 2007)] Refs. For the artist, see AKL 15 (1997), pp.625-26 and Bénézit
Works included in this catalogue (listed in chronological order) Buvelot Victorian scene {1904} NGV [WT] Buvelot Summer Afternoon, Templestowe 1866 {1869} NGV [PA] Buvelot Winter Morning, near Heidelberg 1866 {1869} NGV [PA] Buvelot Waterpool near Coleraine (sunset) 1869 {1870} NGV [PA] Buvelot Yarra Flats 1871 {1904} NGV [WT] Buvelot Between Tallarook and Yea 1880 {1902} NGV
Works included in this catalogue Burn Melbourne from the Domain 1871 {1891} SLV [PA] Burn [attrib.] Melbourne from the Old Sandridge Road {1901} SLV [WT] Burn, who migrated to Australia in 1853, painted a number of early Melbourne images, several included in the pre-Felton collection. Other examples, acquired later, are held in the NGV and
Unknown artist “Portfolio of 123 Wildflower drawings” Watercolours (?), details unknown Acquired 1872 Unidentified; present location unknown All that can be said with certainty about these works is that they appear in the NGV’s unpublished list of early acquisitions (under 1872) immediately after the 4 watercolours of Tasmanian wildflowers by “Miss Blythe,” here attributed to
Unknown artist/s Two views of Corinth Watercolour Presented by James Ledger, Esq., by 1865 Unidentified; present location unknown The 1865 NGV catalogue lists both works as watercolours, and the NGV’s unpublished list of pre-Felton acquisitions (PF) records them as “Sketch of Corinth” and “Drawing of Corinth.” The 1894 NGV catalogue includes only one work, describing
Unknown artist/s Five views of British Guiana Watercolours, various sizes Presented by William Webster Hoare, 1873 Unidentified; present locations unknown These watercolours are listed in the NGV’s annual report for 1873, and in NGV 1894, but without providing any details; they are not catalogued in NGV 1905. Refs. AR 1873, p.69; NGV 1894, pp.113-115 (V.Buvelot
Unknown artist (“J.T.S”) Hobson’s Bay, from the Signal Staff, Melbourne 1854 Watercolour on paper, 18.8 x 26.8 cm (mounted) Purchased, 1891 State Library of Victoria (H278) The SLV lists this work as accessioned in 1929, but it clearly corresponds with the watercolour catalogued in both NGV 1894 and 1905 as acquired in 1891. Neither the
Wehnert, Edward Henry (1813-68; English) Death of Jean Goujon 1847 Watercolour, c. 78.74 x 104.14 cm Purchased, 1874 Present location unknown The artist, of German heritage, favoured historical subjects; he is best known now for his illustrative work, and also for having taught the young Millais. A wood engraving of the present composition, by Wehnert’s associate William
Weedon, Augustus Walford (1838-1908; English) Changing pasture 1891 Watercolour over pencil with some scratching out and sponging out, 56.3 x 91.9 cm (sheet) Purchased, 1892 National Gallery of Victoria (p.432.5-1) Bought from the British Art Gallery, June 1892, after having been shown in the Anglo-Australian Exhibition, Melbourne. Refs. AR 1892, p.23; SB p.432; NGV 1894, p.45
Weedon, Augustus Walford (1838-1908; English) Glen Falloch 1882 Watercolour, c.43.18 x 73.66 cm Purchased, 1883 Present location unknown This work was purchased in Melbourne, according to NGV 1905, where it was illustrated, as shown here. Refs. AR 1883, p.33; NGV 1894, p.49 (II.Stawell Gallery, no.30; size given as 17 x 29 inches); NGV 1905, p.42 (II.Stawell
Watson, Thomas J. (1847-1912; English) Cottage scenery Watercolour, c. 22.86 x 33.02 cm (9” x 13”) Purchased, 1871 (advice of John Ruskin) Unidentified; present location unknown Like several other works recorded as bought on Ruskin’s advice in c.1871, this drawing no longer appears to be in the NGV collection. Reproductions of other examples by this
Varley, John (1778-1842; English) Moel Heboeg, near Snowden, North Wales (c.1818) Watercolour and pencil, 27.4 x 40 cm (sheet) Purchased, 1902 (advice of Bernard Hall) National Gallery of Victoria (115-2) For further details, provenance etc., see Varley Dolgelly near Barmouth 1818 {1902} NGV [WT]. Refs. AR 1902, p.18; NGV 1905, p.48 (II.Stawell Gallery, no.43; ill) [£7/7]
Varley, John (1778-1842; English) Dolgelly near Barmouth, North Wales 1818 Watercolour, gum arabic and scratching out, 27.0 x 40.1 cm (sheet) Purchased, 1902 (advice of Bernard Hall) National Gallery of Victoria (116-2) NGV 1905 notes that this work and Varley Moel Heboeg {1902} NGV [WT] – evidently a pair – were bought together in Melbourne, each for
Tommasi, Publio De (1849-1914; Italian) The Public Writer 1880 Watercolour, c.127 x 101.6 cm Purchased, 1881 Present location unknown [photo as reproduced in NGV 1894] This picturesque image of daily life in 19th-century Rome, bought from the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition, was reproduced in the 1894 and 1905 NGV catalogues, as shown here. Works by this
Strutt, William (1825-1915; English) The Burke and Wills Exploring Expedition: the first day’s order of march 1862 Watercolour, 12.4 x 49.2 cm (visible image) Presented by the artist, 1902 State Library of Victoria (H5107) The inscription below the image reads: “The Burke and Wills Exploring Expedition: the first day’s order of march: drawn from nature by William
Stanfield, Clarkson (1793-1867; English) Countrymen at Dinner Pencil and watercolour on paper, 35.5 x 34.0 cm Purchased, 1877 National Gallery of Victoria (p.167.32-1) This lively illustration has a Dickensian flavour. Refs. AR 1877, p.75; NGV 1894, p.43 (II.Stawell Gallery, no.1); NGV 1905, p. 37 (II.Stawell Gallery, no.2) [£3/5] For Stanfield as a watercolourist, see Mallalieu
Smythe, Lionel (1839-1918; English) The Breadwinners 1890 Watercolour on paper, 63.5 x 48.2 cm Purchased, 1891 (advice of Hubert von Herkomer) National Gallery of Victoria (p.430.54-1) [photo: as reproduced in NGV 1905] The 1894 catalogue quotes Herkomer’s praise of the artist’s sensitive handling of this subject, indicating that the work was shown at the Royal
Smith, Carlton Alfred (1853-1946; English) Christmas Eve 1901 Watercolour on paper, 74 x 122 cm Purchased, 1901 (selected by the Royal Academy); de-accessioned and sold by auction, 1950; last auctioned 2008 Present location unknown [photo: as reproduced by Sotheby’s, March 2008] This large work was the most expensive of the 10 contemporary British watercolours bought in 1901. It
Simoni, Gustavo (1846-1926; Italian) The Marble Mosque 1879 Watercolour, 56.0 x 38.8 cm (sheet) Bequest of Alfred Felton, 1904 National Gallery of Victoria (156-2) As Gerard Vaughan observes, this exotic view, clearly reflecting 19th-century Orientalist tastes, was rather less conventional than many of the other works in Felton’s collection. The inscription, “G.Simoni.Tiemcen.79,” identifies the Algerian city
Severn, Walter (1830-1904; English) Boscastle Harbour Watercolour, c.55.88 x 129.54 cm Presented by the artist, 1885 Unidentified; present location unknown The artist, known for his topographical watercolours, was the son of Joseph Severn (1793-1879), a portrait painter who was also a friend of the poet Keats. Another large watercolour by Severn is in the AGNSW (donated
Rowan, Ellis (1848-1922; Australian) Flower painting Watercolour, c.76.2 x 54.4 cm (sheet) Purchased, 1890 Unidentified; present location unknown This is the second work by Rowan listed with this title in NGV 1894 and 1905, although only one is extant in the NGV collection (see Rowan Flower painting: Pandorea jasminoides… {1890} NGV [WT]). This example has
Rowan, Ellis (1848-1922; Australian) Flower painting: Pandorea jasminoides and Clematis aristata (c.1887) Watercolour, 74.8 x 53.1 cm (image), 76.2 x 54.4 cm (sheet) Purchased, 1890 National Gallery of Victoria (1995.325) Two watercolours by Rowan, both titled “Flower painting,” are catalogued in NGV 1894 and 1905, each work listed as bought in Melbourne in 1890, for £52/10,
Robertson, Andrew (active 1860-80; Australian?) Melbourne from the Flagstaff Hill. With Key, 1853 Watercolour on buff paper, 16.5 x 18.1 cm (watercolour); and ink on cream paper, 18 x 26 cm (key) Presented by the artist, 1880 State Library of Victoria (H273 & H274) Robertson, who also produced wood engravings for the local press (for examples,
Roberts, David (1796-1864; Scottish) Heidelberg Castle (c.1830) Watercolour over pencil with gouache, gum Arabic and sponging out, 43.6 x 32.3 cm (sheet) Bequest of Alfred Felton, 1904 National Gallery of Victoria (154-2) This work – one of the more significant examples selected from Felton’s personal collection after his death – joined Roberts St Anne, Bruges 1851
Richmond, James Crowe (1822-98; New Zealander) Lake Wanaka and Mount Aspiring, New Zealand Watercolour, c.66 x 101.6 cm Purchased, 1872 Unidentified; present location unknown The work bought for Melbourne in 1872 no longer appears to be extant in either the NGV or SLV collections. However, there is a very close correspondence in size and subject-matter
Richardson, Thomas Miles, Junior (1813-90; English) Corrie Echen, Highlands of Scotland 1880 Watercolour, 77.5 x 67.3 cm (sheet) Purchased, 1880 (advice of Alfred Thomson) National Gallery of Victoria (p.168.2-1) The artist was born in Newcastle but settled in London in 1846, and regularly exhibited his work with the Water Colour Society. In Mallalieu’s opinion, “he
Rainey, William (1852-1936; English) The Market Boat Watercolour on paper Purchased, 1901 (selected by the Royal Academy) National Gallery of Victoria (107-2) The artist worked mainly as an illustrator of children’s books and magazines. Refs. AR 1901, p.23; NGV 1905, p.78 (II.Stawell Gallery, no.169; size given as 12 x 9 inches) [£20] For details on
Pugin, Augustus Welby (1812-52; English) Oxford Watercolour and pencil, with touches of body colour, on paper, 20.2 x 26.6 cm (sheet) Purchased, 1877 (advice of Archibald Michie) National Gallery of Victoria (p.167.30-1) This picturesque view, now unfortunately somewhat yellowed, reflects the taste of the artist, best known as a Gothic Revival architect and polemicist: see