Art Appreciation Lecture Series 2017 Site Specific: The power of place

Eugene von Guérard and Cape Schanck

Dr Ruth Pullin

10/11 May 2017

Lecture summary:

Eugene von Guérard’s life and his career was defined by travel. But some sites, notably Cape Schanck, a narrow headland that juts out from the high cliffs of a dramatically beautiful and wild stretch of Victoria’s coastline on the Bass Strait side of the Mornington Peninsula, drew him back again and again. It was a site that accrued interconnected layers of significance for him. There the Barker and Howitt families created a sympathetic and convivial environment for artists, including Edward La Trobe Bateman, Georgiana McCrae, Nicholas Chevalier and von Guérard, all of whom made frequent visits. Von Guérard responded to the dramatic topography of the site (and, for him, its association with the island of Capri), its botanical diversity and its geological history as revealed in the exposed rock strata of the cliff faces. Here von Guérard found precisely the type of geological and botanical subjects that the great German natural scientist Alexander von Humboldt and his contemporary, Carl Gustav Carus, had urged artists to address. Von Guérard and his fellow Humboldtians in Melbourne, Wilhelm Blandowski, Ferdinand von Mueller and , all visited, or studied natural specimens collected from, Cape Schanck.

Von Guérard first saw Cape Schanck from the sea, in 1855. Each of his subsequent visits, in 1858, 1863 and 1873, took on its own a distinct character: the first was recorded in his sketchbook, the second in both drawings and a sketchbook and the third in a series of plein air oil studies, one of which, Lower part of Castle Rock, Cape Schank [sic] 1873, was recently gifted to the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

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Slide list:

All Eugene von Guérard unless otherwise stated:

1. Sand hills between Portland and Glenelg 13 Dec. 1857 Pencil, pen and ink Pencil, pen, ink and watercolour In: Sketchbook XXVII 1857 Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales DGB16. v. 7 2. Der Heiligenstein 11 September 1843 Titzenley 27 September 1843 Pen, wash and pencil, 12.3 x 22.5 cm In: Sketchbook XV, Germany State Library of New South Wales, Sydney 3. Milford Sound, New Zealand 1877-79 99.2 x 176.0. Art Gallery of New South Wales 4. Cape Schanck Pulpit Rock, pencil, pen and ink. May 1855 In: Sketchbook XXIII (Tasmania), 1855. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB16, v. 2. 5. Edward La Trobe Bateman The homestead, Cape Schanck 1855, watercolour, gouache and gum arabic, 18.8 x 27.2 cm National Gallery of Victoria 6. Dr.Howitt’s Corner 1862. Oil on paper on composition board. 15.6 x 24.5 cm State Library of Victoria 7. View from Schnapper Point 13 February 1858. pen, ink and wash over pencil, Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, v. 8 8. Title page; Cape Shank Station. 13 February 1858 Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, v. 8 9. Creek on the Rocky Beach, Cape Schank Station 15 Feb 58. Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, v. 8 10. Cape Shank from the Sandy Beach 15 Feb 58 Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, v. 8 11. For access to all past lecture notes visit: https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/members/current-members/member-events/site-specific/

Sandy Beach near Cape Shank 15 February 1858 Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, v. 8 12. Eugene von GuérardSandy Beach near Cape Shank, 15 February 1858 Nicholas Chevalier Tunnel Rock, Cape Schanck 1862 Oil on board 30.6 x 47 cm Art Gallery of New South Wales 13. Basalt Rocks on the Sandy Beach near Cape Schank 15 February 1858 Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, v. 8 14. Tea Tree Gully, Cape Schank 15 February 1858 Tea trees in a gully at Cape Schank 15 February 1858 15. Old Bridge near Mr Barker’s Station 15 February 1858 Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, v. 8 16. Rocky Beach near Cape Schank 15 February 1858 Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, 17. Cups and Saucers, Cape Schank 16 February 1858 Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, v. 8 18. Cups and Saucers 16 February 1858 Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, v. 8 19. Distant view towards Western Port 15 February 1858 Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, v. 8 20. One of the splendid honeysuckle trees near the long, or nine mile, beach 17 February 1858 Sketchbook XXIX, 1858-59. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, DGB 16, v. 8 21. Album: Cape Shank and Philip Isand 35.3 x 56.1 cm Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales, PXX 16 Sketchbook XXXIV, 1862. 1863, 186514 x 18.4 cm Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales DGB16, v. 13 22. Eugene von Guérard Castle Rock, Cape Schanck 1865 Oil on canvas, 61.0 x 91.3 cm, Art Gallery of South Australia Adelaide Eugene von Guérard Tea Trees near Cape Schanck 1865Oil on canvas 61.1 x 91.8 cm National Gallery of Victoria 23. View from Log Bay to Cape Schanck, 9 April 1863. Pencil and crayon drawing in three sections, 30 x 25.1 cm; 31.2 x 49 cm; 30.8 x 24.1 cm Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales 24. Cape Shank 10 April 1863 Pencil and crayon on cream paper 29 x 44.5 cm Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales 25. Cape Shank 11 Ap. 1863 Mr John Barkers Station Sketchbook XXXIV, 1862. 1863, 1865. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales DGB16, v. 13 26. [Pulpit Rock, Cape Schank ] Sketchbook XXXIV, 1862. 1863, 1865. Dixson Galleries, State DGB16, v. 13

27. [Castle Rock and lighthouse] Sketchbook XXXIV, 1862. 1863, 1865. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales DGB16, v. 13 28. Castle Rock Cape Shank April 1863 Sketchbook XXXIV, 1862. 1863, 1865. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales DGB16, v. 13 29. Castle Rock Cape Schanck Ap. 63, Sketchbook XXXIV, 1862, 1863 Castle Rock, Cape Schanck 1865 Oil on canvas, 61.0 x 91.3 cm, Art Gallery of South Australia Adelaide Eugene von Guérard The Castle Rock, Cape Schanck, Plate V, Eugène von Guérard’s Australian Landscapes 1866-1868 30. Carl Friedrich Lessing Das Felsenschloss (Ritterburg, Schottische Landschaft, Bergeschloss) 1828 Eugene von Guérard Sketchbook XVIII, 1847-1851, ‘Compositions’ 31. Eugene von Guérard Castle Rock, Cape Schanck 1865 Oil on canvas, 61.0 x 91.3 cm, Art Gallery of South Australia Adelaide 32. Tea trees near Cape Schanck 1865. Tea Tree Spring Ap. 63 Pencil on paper. In: Sketchbook XXXIV 33. Cape Shank 10 April 1863 Pencil and crayon on cream paper 29 x 44.5 cm Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales Capri 1838 Pencil29.5 x 47.0 cmPrivate collection 34. Bateman & Anderson’s Cape Schank April 1863 Sketchbook XXXIV, 1862. 1863, 1865. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales DGB16, v. 13 35. Main Creek (midday) April 63 Sketchbook XXXIV, 1862. 1863, 1865. Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales DGB16, v. 13 36. Georgiana McCrae View of Barragunda from the garden 1869, watercolour and grey wash over pencil, 18.0 x 24.7 cm National Gallery of Victoria Georgiana McCrae South front (View of Barragunda) 1869, watercolour and grey wash over pencil, 19.4 x 24.7 cm National Gallery of Victoria 37. Eugene von Guérard Tor del Quinto, 1831. Inscribed Meine erste studi nach der Natur / My first study from nature Eugene von Guérard Near Naples [c.1838] Art Gallery of Western Australia 38. Rabenstein (Raven’s Rock) 1841 Oil on heavy paper Private collection Gesteins (Below the Rabenstein) 1841 Oil on heavy paperPrivate collection

39. Honeysuckles, Cape Schanck 1873 Oil on paper on cardboard, 11.4 x 30.2 cm National Gallery of Victoria For access to all past lecture notes visit: https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/members/current-members/member-events/site-specific/

40. From below the Lighthouse, Cape Schanck, Victoria 1873 oil on paper on board 24.5 x 31.5 cm Private collection 41. Pulpit Rock from the Creek, near John Barker’s Station, Cape Schanck 1873 oil on canvas on board 25.5 x 35.5 cm Bushranger’s Cove, Cape Schanck 1873 oil on paper laid down on millboard 26.5 x 37.2 cm

42. Petherick Papers, National Library of Australia

43. Lower Part of the Castle Rock Cape Schanck [Figures on a cliff] 1873 Oil on hand cut paper on board.26.5 x 33.4 cm Art gallery of New South Wales

44. Lower Part of the Castle Rock Cape Schanck [Figures on a cliff] 1873 Oil on hand cut paper on board.26.5 x 33.4 cm Art Gallery of New South Wales Nicholas Chevalier Pulpit Rock, Cape Schanck 1862 oil on cardboard 31 x 46. 3 cm Art Gallery of New South Wales

Reference:

Caroline Clemente, The private face of patronage: the Howitts, artistic and intellectual philanthropists in early Melbourne Society, Unpublished Master’s diss., The University of Melbourne, 2005.

Ruth Gooch, Wildest bit along the coast: a history of Cape Schanck on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. Hastings, Vic: Warrangine Word, 2013.

Ruth Pullin ‘The artist as geotourist: Eugene von Guérard and the volcanic landscapes of Italy, Germany and Australia’, Tom Hose (ed.) Appreciating Physical Landscapes: Three Hundred Years of Geotourism, London: Special Publication, Geological Society of London, 2014.

Ruth Pullin, Eugene von Guérard: Nature Revealed, Melbourne: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 2011.