In early 1900s, Henry Lawson wrote the poem Mosman’s Bay and captured the area’s unique aspects.

From the red-tiled roofs of comfort,
And the gardens and lawns of taste;
Safe from the city’s clamour,
And safe from the city’s haste;
From a vision of range and ocean,
And a hint of the sea-cliffs grey,
Look down from the heights of Mosman
To the depths of Mosman’s Bay.

This exhibition which takes its name from Lawson’s poem, presents works from the Mosman Art Gallery collection which have been acquired over many years through donations and bequests. Together, these paintings reveal the delight artists have taken in Mosman vistas over a hundred year period from 1838 to 1955.

Historical views of Mosman have usually been associated with the artists of the late nineteenth century artist camps such as Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts and Julian Ashton. There were however, many different artists who made Mosman their home, who also visited the camps and continued to depict the areas beauty as well as its development over time. In addition to nineteenth century picturesque views of coves and bays, the paintings in this exhibition portray aspects of Mosmans’ past which have long since disappeared such as Mosman Bay Falls and Old Mosman Bridge which spanned Mosman Bay. The development of the Spit from ferry service to bridge also became a source of fascination for twentieth century artists Dora Toovey and Antonio Dattilo-Rubbo.

Included in the exhibiton are important artists from the school of Conrad Martens, James Howe Carse, James Ranalph Jackson, William Lister Lister, William Raworth, and William Montague Whitney.

Images:
James R Jackson, North Harbour 1927
Dora Toovey, Building the new Spit Bridge c1953