Rough wooden bridge over river, group with dog on the shore

Format: Glass plate negative.

Rights Info: No known restrictions on publication.

Repository: Phillips Glass Plate Negative Collection, Powerhouse Museum www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/collection=Phillips_Glass _Plate_Negative

Part Of: Powerhouse Museum Collection

General information about the Powerhouse Museum Collection is available at www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database

Persistent URL: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=386733

Acquisition credit line: Gift of the Estate of Raymond W Phillips, 2008

Comments and faves

  1. ★

    DarkVictory19, beachcomberaustralia, Sarah Anne*, BobMeade, and 66 other people added this photo to their favorites.

  2. beachcomberaustralia (52 months ago | reply)

    WOW!

    PowerhouseMuseum, I think you have a gem in your hands!

    This is one of the early footbridges (looking east) across Mosman Bay on the north shore of Sydney Harbour. The run-down buildings are part of the original whaling station; no longer there, except for 'The Barn', out of shot. See www.afloat.com.au/afloat-magazine/2008/august -2008/Mosman... for more footbridge information.

    More importantly, the buildings are in the famous Tom Roberts painting of "Mosman's Bay" 1894. See save-mosmans-bay.com/painting.html and an enlargement save-mosmans-bay.com/images/Mosmans Bay-1.jpg .

    The photograph and the painting seem to be at a similar time (1894) judging from the similar costumes and lack of other buildings. There are a lot of pictures in this collection of Mosman and Cremorne. Could it be that the photographer knew Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton, and others at the artists' camp at Little Sirius Cove just over the hill behind? A huge leap of the imagination, I know, but what if those people, who are appearing in several group shots, are Streeton, Roberts, etc.?!

  3. beachcomberaustralia (52 months ago | reply)

    There are several discrepancies, which I suppose you put down to artistic licence. For instance a missing chimney and wharf wooden railings on the painting. The painting also has a large black (incongruous imho) sign in front of the buildings - the back of it shows up here on the persistent URL magnification.

    The more I research, the more I have a hunch that a lot of these pictures were taken by Tom Roberts, who is described as an artist AND photographer. The same-ish group of people and boats pop up in many photographs - they are obviously friends of the photographer, and 'pose' for the pictures looking directly at the camera (except the women!). Many of the picures are beautifully composed, like a painting.

    I am having no luck (yet) getting a match with faces from biographical websites. Presuming Tom Roberts is behind the camera, but the other men could include Arthur Streeton, Charles Conder, Fred McCubbin, Girolamo Nerdi, AH Fulwood, Julian Ashton, etc. HELP NEEDED please from an expert!

    More about the Heidelberg School, links to paintings and biographies: www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/heid elbergschool...

  4. beachcomberaustralia (52 months ago | reply)

    A painting by Albert Henry Fullwood (1863-1930) "Mosman's Bay" [ca.1904] clearly showing the bridge, looking north up the bay: nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an2288936

  5. BobMeade (52 months ago | reply)

    Here's another photograph of the bridge, bay, and buildings viewed from up the hill to the left:
    www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/ ?irn=385883

  6. BobMeade (52 months ago | reply)

    beachcomberaustralia - you are corerct about the location. It is Mosman Bay.

    The are some very good comparison photographs in the collection of Mosman Library.

    Go the this search page:

    www.photosau.com/Mosman/scripts/home.asp

    and search for these image numbers as keywords:

    4016964

    4017069

    4022561

    4022578

  7. beachcomberaustralia (52 months ago | reply)

    The third picture (4022561) says in the blurb. "The bridge was constructed in 1880 using bamboo and saplings from The Rangers and became a popular subject with artists such as Julian Ashton, Henry Fullwood and John Mathers. It was replaced by a firmer structure in 1902." That narrows the date down a bit, and I am surprised it lasted 22 years!

    How about this for a match for the man in the rear of the boat?
    nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an2383928-1
    Could that be Julian Rossi Ashton (1851-1942) aged about 45?

  8. beachcomberaustralia (52 months ago | reply)

    Many of these photographs remind me of French Impressionist paintings in their composition. I am no expert in art history or photography, but this is a bit spooky:

    Claude Monet "The Highway Bridge at Argenteuil" 1874

    daen.theamk.com/art/Monet/highway.jpg

    And a couple of Renoirs (1874 and 1879);

    store.encore-editions.com/vart/Renoir167.html
    store.encore-editions.com/cat101frnimp.html

    And a Sisley (1872), composition reversed:

    store.encore-editions.com/artists/alsi34.html

    My point being that whoever took these photos had a passing knowledge of French Impressionists.

    Any opinions?

  9. beachcomberaustralia (52 months ago | reply)

    Another view in 1880: www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/29375 69412/in/set...

    I was wrong! Tom Roberts was not using artistic licence in 1894 (see above). The white wharf railings were not yet built.

  10. jachi (52 months ago | reply)

    Thanks Beachcomberaustralia. Such interesting comments.

  11. beachcomberaustralia (51 months ago | reply)

    Similar view now:

    "Mosman Bay" by beachcomberaustralia
    Mosman Bay

  12. beachcomberaustralia (46 months ago | reply)

    AH Fullwood (see above) did this earlier sketch in 1890 (the tide was out!):
    www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au/catalogues/wo rk.aspx?frmv...

  13. FMX_Fernando Munoz (41 months ago | reply)

    is the man with the white hat the same one sitting on the wooden rail fence??

    www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/ ?irn=385883

  14. wiggiewormdog (38 months ago | reply)

    Hi, I'm an admin for a group called a new world, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

  15. wiggiewormdog (38 months ago | reply)

    Hi, I'm an admin for a group called soulful group, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

  16. wiggiewormdog (38 months ago | reply)

    Hi, I'm an admin for a group called god creatures, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

  17. pellethepoet (38 months ago | reply)

    Some more views of the old footbridge:
    acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemLarge.aspx?itemID =53178
    acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemLarge.aspx?itemID =167435
    acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemLarge.aspx?itemID =421142

  18. pellethepoet (33 months ago | reply)

    Another A. H. Fullwood representation
    artsearch.nga.gov.au/Detail.cfm?IRN=44977

  19. beachcomberaustralia (33 months ago | reply)

    That A. H. Fullwood is the closest yet. Brilliant.

  20. caygagsss (26 months ago | reply)

    so good!

    orelle k (23 months ago | reply)

    fantastic shot

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    Wonderful Shot ...

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    Excellent !

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    wooow

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    Stunning.

  28. SabrinaDawnS (17 months ago | reply)

    when was this taken ?

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    All I can say, stunning!

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    good shot!

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  37. pellethepoet (5 months ago | reply)

    State Library of NSW

  38. Carolina^ (4 months ago | reply)

    bellissima...

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