One of our highlights in our next auction (10am Friday 14th July )
Sketch for a bird sculpture by Brett Whiteley. Ink on paper. Featuring Stamp: BW inside a circle on bottom right.(Lot 14)
Undated, but likely from the late 1970s or early 1980s. The forms in the drawing can be traced to a series of bird sculptures in his 1988 bird show.(SLNSW) This playful sketch is a predatory study for what were to be a series of Brett Whitely’s last sculptural works; an intimate fragment of the creative process of Australia’s most revered artist.
Brett Whiteley (1939-1992) Sydney artist. Winner of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes. (DAAO) Not only known for his large colourful and lyrical artworks but his popstar persona and his substance addiction. This sketch was given friend with a similar affliction. It was later acquired by current
Gregory Blaxland (1778-1853) and his brother John(1769-1845) emigrated to Australia under the advice of his friend Sir Joseph Banks who said that the government would give free passage, land and slaves. (SLNSW).
He is perhaps most famous for joining William Charles Wentworth and William Lawson in 1813 to become the first settlers to get across the Blue Mountains through using “local guide familiar with the bush and its Aboriginal pathways.” (National Maritime Museum)
Lachlan Macquarie refused to give him land in the interior for his cattle. He disposed of his cattle (EOAS) and settled into Brush Farm, near Ryde (Dictionary of Sydney) which was where he produced wine.
In 1822 he returned to England with some 136 litres of red wine where he won a silver medal(streetdirectory.com/food) Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, later the Royal Society of Arts. Five years later he sent a bigger amount of wine and won a gold medal. (Australian Food Timeline).
Offered in our next auction this unique piece of Australian history – The Holy Bible with the names of the children of Gregory Blaxland.
It is signed Blaxland on first free page. The G. Blaxland on the Old Testament title page which was later crossed out. This signature has been compared to one on file in the State Library of New South Wales and is a good likeness. On the following page William Blaxland is written around the chapter heading. On New Testament title page William’s name is written again. On the back of this page is a list of all of Gregory Blaxland’s children with their birth dates, except Christopher who was born in 18th October 1822 and died less than a year old. Buried at Devonshire Street Cemetery (memorial).
The book was published in 1822, and perhaps was purchase when he went to England with his award winning wine?
