About this lot

Description

English School, circa 1860

View of Otago Harbour, New Zealand from Port Chalmers, with a paddle steamer moored beside the George Street Wharf
oil on board
29 x 46cm

Provenance:
By repute Mandell's Gallery

Port Chalmers, located on a small hilly peninsula halfway along Otago Harbour, was founded on 31st July 1844 and was named after Dr Thomas Chalmers of the Free Church of Scotland. The first organised European settlers who moored off Port Chalmers arrived on the John Wickliffe on 23rd March 1848. Today, Port Chalmers is the main deepwater port for the city of Dunedin, which lies at the head of the harbour.

The first paddle steamer built in Otago Harbour was Peninsular in 1864. It had two side paddle wheels and ran between Dunedin and Port Chalmers twice daily. In May 1869, she had the distinction of acting as a temporary royal yacht when she embarked HRH The Duke of Edinburgh at Dunedin and, escorted by the Golden Age and Geelong, conveyed him to Port Chalmers where he rejoined H.M.S. Galatea.

We are grateful to Brian McCormack, the President of Port Chalmers Historical Society for identifying the view in the present painting.

The painting is executed in oil on a piece of board. The support and paint layers are in a stable condition overall. The paint layers in the sea and sky have developed a network of prominent cracks which have darkened over time. The varnish layers are very yellowed and matte. There is some wear and abrasion to the edges of the painting caused by framing. 43 x 60cm framed size

Back to lot listings