Title

It gives us much pleasure to acknowledge [part 3 of Views of Sydney and environs, by J.G. Austin.]

Author

Sydney Gazette.

Source

Sydney Gazette (Sydney)

Details

21 July 1836, page 2, column 6

Publication date

21 July 1836

Type

Publication Review

Language

English

Country of context

Australia

Full text

It gives us much pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of a third set of coloured lithographic drawings by that ingenious artist Mr J. G. Austin, of Hunter street, representing four views of different public buildings in and about Sydney. The first exhibits a striking front elevation of St Mary’s Chapel, Hyde Park, with its gothic arched gateways and windows, and casstlilated turrets, flanked by the Chapel of St Joseph, and the buildings immediately contiguous, with a part of Darlinghurst in the offscape. St Mary’s has an air of antiquity more becoming than actual, and the height is somewhat disproportioned to the apparent breadth and depth. This view however on the whole is remarkably correct, and a decided improvement upon the former unprepossessing back sketch lithographed by Mr Austin. The exterior of the Police Office, George street, with a distinct glimpse of the Market buildings, forms the next view. It is correct but by no means set off by the rather outré exhibition “of Reg-fair” opposite. The third view exhibits Dawes’ Battery. The outline of the shore is well set off, but we think the artist might have clothed his picture to more effect. A solitary barque stealing along, a single ferry boat plying the oars, a distant sail rounding the northernmost point, and two or three dismasted vessels lying up along shore, afford but a faint resemblance of the animated features of Port Jackson. There is nothing either of the picturesque amphitheatre formed by the groups of tenements stretching from above Dawes’ Battery along the rocks. The fourth and last view is the most striking of the whole set. It represents the new bodge at the southern entrance to the Government Domain. This half gothic half druidical structure, with its unsightly column of a chimney towering to the skies, appears to considerable advantage next the handsome gateway opening on vistas of gravelled walks and vivid groves. In conclusion, we would observe, that were the merit of these designs considerably less, yet as an attempt towards illustrating one of the choicest branches of the fine arts, they deserve commendation, and the industrious artist will, we hope, be rewarded with his full share of the public patronage.

[Sydney Gazette, 21 July 1836, p.2, col.6.]