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Lot Essay
Geoffrey Smith, who is embarking on a catalogue raisonné of Arthur Streeton, has provided the above information that in due course will form part of this catalogue.
"Sydney is an artists' city - glorious - Roberts and I go to Mossman's Bay and pull through the lazy green water, & then lunch under the shade in the open air The little Bay seemed all asleep & so very peaceful Warm balmy air blue orchids & the purple glory of sarsaparilla" (Artist's statement cited in A Galbally & A Gray, (Eds.) Letters from Smike The Letters of Arthur Streeton 1890-1943, Melbourne, 1989, p. 17)
Mosman was familiar to Streeton as he had there lived for two and half years at Curlew Camp in Sirius Cove during the early 1890's. During this time he shared a tent with Tom Roberts and it is recorded that he first met fellow artist Charles Conder in a wine shop in Mosman.
Streeton was not to return to Mosman until 1907, following a ten year period spent predominantly in Europe. It has been suggested that the date of execution for this work is either 1907 or 1914. In both these years, Streeton is known to have either been living in or painting in the Mosman area. Between 16 August and 1 September 1907 Streeton is recorded as staying at 'Murcott', a boarding house in Mosman, while in 1914 it is known that he was painting in Mosman as well as in many other parts of the Sydney Harbour foreshore.
There is a strong contrast between the light surrounding the red-tiled Mosman houses and the deep shadows in the thick bush in the foreground. The short, quick brushstrokes reveal the pace at which the artist worked in order to capture the scene in front of him, true to his Impressionist technique.
"Sydney is an artists' city - glorious - Roberts and I go to Mossman's Bay and pull through the lazy green water, & then lunch under the shade in the open air The little Bay seemed all asleep & so very peaceful Warm balmy air blue orchids & the purple glory of sarsaparilla" (Artist's statement cited in A Galbally & A Gray, (Eds.) Letters from Smike The Letters of Arthur Streeton 1890-1943, Melbourne, 1989, p. 17)
Mosman was familiar to Streeton as he had there lived for two and half years at Curlew Camp in Sirius Cove during the early 1890's. During this time he shared a tent with Tom Roberts and it is recorded that he first met fellow artist Charles Conder in a wine shop in Mosman.
Streeton was not to return to Mosman until 1907, following a ten year period spent predominantly in Europe. It has been suggested that the date of execution for this work is either 1907 or 1914. In both these years, Streeton is known to have either been living in or painting in the Mosman area. Between 16 August and 1 September 1907 Streeton is recorded as staying at 'Murcott', a boarding house in Mosman, while in 1914 it is known that he was painting in Mosman as well as in many other parts of the Sydney Harbour foreshore.
There is a strong contrast between the light surrounding the red-tiled Mosman houses and the deep shadows in the thick bush in the foreground. The short, quick brushstrokes reveal the pace at which the artist worked in order to capture the scene in front of him, true to his Impressionist technique.