Sketches of travels including voyages to Australia

Images(64)

Sketches of travels including voyages to Australia

Artist William Field (1848 - 1885)

Date1870 - 1882

Object number00000950

NamePainting album

MediumPaper, watercolour

DimensionsOverall: 370 x 280 mm, 200 kg
Display Dimensions: 370 x 280 mm

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineANMM Collection

Collections

Manuscript diaries, journals and logs

DescriptionAn album of watercolours by William Field consisting of sketches that have been removed from smaller albums and sorted roughly by theme, but not chronologically.

The first theme is houses, including Field's rather grand family home Blackdown in Warwickshire, this section also contains watercolours of Whitby Abbey. The next theme is titled: Sailing Ship voyage to Australia and the first watercolour in this section is dated 7 October 1875. The section includes two watercolours titled: My Brothers and My Cabin a board Green's Liner CARLISLE CASTLE, followed by seascapes, a rainy day off Cape Good Hope and Port Philip Heads Victoria.
HistoryWilliam Field's home in Blackdown, Warwickshire, is still standing and changed very little from the image in the album of his work. Although we know very little about Field or what happened to him, we do know he left home to travel and came to Australia aboard the CARLISLE CASTLE and where he painted numerous scenes. Field also travelled to the United States and parts of Europe including Switzerland and Italy.
SignificanceAlthough we know very little of William Field, his artistic abilty shines through and his images are like photographs of his travels. He often records scenes not usually depicted at the time such as ship's cabins and sunsets.