Robert Atkinson
(Australia, England, New Zealand 15 Nov 1863–1896)
- Title
- The Bluff, Middle Harbour, Sydney
- Other titles:
- The Bluff, Middle Harbour
- Place of origin
-
Sydney →
New South Wales →
Australia
- Year
- 1889
- Media category
- Watercolour
- Materials used
- pencil, watercolour, chinese white highlights
- Dimensions
-
75.2 x 55.9cm sheet; frame 109.5 x 88.0 x 4.0cm
- Signature & date
- Signed and dated l.r. corner, pale blue watercolour "R ATKINSON 1889".
- Credit
- Purchased 1889
- Accession number
- 112
- Location
- Not on display
- Further information
Robert Atkinson studied in London and Antwerp before moving to New Zealand, then in 1885 to Australia. Like many other artists, he worked as an illustrator on various publications, including 'The Bulletin'. He spent about five years in Sydney, exhibiting with the Art Society of NSW, and was a resident of the artists' camp at Edwards Beach near Balmoral, the site of several of his best known works. 'The Bluff, Middle Harbour', painted from the headland north of the artists' camp, was bought by the Gallery in the year that it was painted, also the year Atkinson returned to England.
excerpt from Hendrik Kolenberg, Anne Ryan and Patricia James, '19th century Australian watercolours, drawings & pastels in the Gallery's collection', Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2005
- Bibliography (9)
-
Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia) (Author), Anne Ryan (Australia) (Author), Patricia James (Author), 19th century Australian watercolours, drawing and pastels from the Gallery's collection, Domain, 2005, 12, 92, 93 (colour illus.).
Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia) (Author), Australian watercolours 1880s to 1990s, Sydney, 1995, 10, 20, 21 (colour illus.), 114. cat.no. 5
Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia) (Author), Nineteenth century Australian watercolours from the collection, Sydney, 1991. cat.no. 7
Bohemians in the bush: the artists' camps of Mosman 1991, 1991, 44.
Daniel Thomas (Author), Sydney Harbour, Sydney, 1963. cat.no. 22; titled 'The Bluff, Middle Harbour'
Trustees of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia), Australian watercolours from the National Art Gallery collection 1836 to 1946, Domain, 1946, 4, 8. cat.no. 6
Lionel Lindsay (Australia, b.1874, d.1961) (Author), 150 years of Australian art, Sydney, 1938. not paginated, cat.no. 392 [Gallery No. 4]
George Galway (Australia) (Author), Fifty years of Australian art 1879-1929, New South Wales, 1929, 80 (illus.).
Royal Art Society of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1880) (Author), Art Society of New South Wales Autumn Exhibition Catalogue (1889), Sydney, 1889, 25 (illus.). cat.no. 83; titled 'Bluff at the entrance to Middle harbour'
- Exhibition history (9)
-
Autumn Exhibition: watercolours and black & white drawings (1889), Union Chambers, 30 Mar 1889 -.
150 years of Australian art (1938), National Art Gallery of New South Wales, 27 Jan 1938–25 Apr 1938.
Australian watercolours from the National Art Gallery collection 1836-1946, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 24 May 1946–Jun 1946.
Sydney Harbour: an exhibition to mark the 175th anniversary of the founding of Australia (1963), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 30 Oct 1963–19 Nov 1963.
Nineteenth century Australian watercolours from the collection (1991), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 13 Apr 1991–07 Jul 1991.
Australian watercolours 1880s to 1990s, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 18 Nov 1995–14 Jan 1996.
Australian watercolours 1880s to 1990s, City of Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, 1996–1996.
Australian watercolours 1880s to 1990s, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, 1996–1996.
19th century Australian watercolours, drawings & pastels, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 06 Apr 2005–24 Jul 2005.
