JULIA ANN entering San Francisco, 1852

Artist David Thimgan (1955-2003)

Date1999

Object number00032140

NamePainting

MediumOil on canvas

DimensionsOverall: 805 x 1060 mm

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineANMM Collection Purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds

Collections

Ship portraits

Terms

DescriptionOil painting on canvas by David Thimgan, entitled 'JULIA ANN entering San Francisco, 1852'. The JULIA ANN was used for transporting cargo during the American and Australian gold rush. This painting depicts a portside view of JULIA ANN as it enters the harbour at San Francisco with sails set. The artist David Thimgan produced this painting based on information from historical records and images of the JULIA ANN in the harbour.HistoryThe JULIA ANN was one of over 200 vessels that sailed from Australia to California during 1849 to 1851 transporting more than 7000 passengers seeking gold. It was built in 1851 by Stetson in Robbinston, Maine. It initially took part in the American gold rush, then to Melbourne and Sydney, Australia to supply food, utensils and miners for the gold diggings there, after 1851. JULIA ANN's first journey to Australia was in 1853 under the Empire City Line of San Francisco and it went on to make four more voyages between 1852 and 1855 under the command of Captain Benjamin Pond. On its return trip to the United Sates the vessel carried coal from Newcastle. In 1855, on its fifth journey between Sydney and San Francisco the JULIA ANN hit a reef near Scilly Island in French Polynesia. The vessel carrying miners from Sydney to San Francisco was wrecked and fifty-one passengers managed to scramble to safety on the atoll, only losing two women and three children. Over two months the survivors salvaged materials from the shipwreck to repair one of the ship's boats and then ten volunteers rowed 400 km to reach help and bring back a rescue vessel. SignificanceThis ship portrait represents the vessel JULIA ANN which played an important role in Australian trade during the gold rush. It is indicative of ship portraits produced by a new generation of maritime artists.