[The arrest of Governor Bligh, ca. 1965] / Donald Friend

ML 1328

fonds

ca. 1965

Graphic Materials, Paintings

1336596

1 painting - visible image 23 x 30 cm., in frame 37 x 42 cm - oil, gold leaf and pen on composition board

Donald Stuart Leslie Friend, 1915-1989, was a Sydney-born painter, draughtsman, printmaker, sculptor, illustrator, director and writer.

During the early 1960s, Friend completed a number of decorative panel paintings focusing on aspects of Australian history, of which 'The Arrest of Governor Bligh' is one. Other works include a 10 panel 'Bennelong' series (1964), Joseph Banks at Botany Bay [undated], Murray River Explorers (1962) and a pair of Ned Kelly scenes (ca. 1965). Shortly after their completion, the panel paintings were exhibited at Melbourne's Leveson Gallery.

Reference:
Library correspondence file

The painting's provenance is unknown prior to its first recorded entry onto the auction market though Christies, Sydney, in 1974. Since this time the painting was bought and sold 5 times before it was acquired by the Library in 2015. Reference: Art Sales Digest, http://www.aasd.com.au/ (accessed 17 June 2015)

Landscape painting executed in oil, golf leaf on pen on composition board housed in gilt frame.

The painting depicts the arrest of Governor Bligh from the viewpoint of the interior of Governor Bligh's room in First Government House (now the Museum of Sydney). The room is furnished with a four poster bed, patterned floor covering, a framed double hemisphere map hanging on the wall below a portrait of 'H.M.S. Bounty'. Through the window and door is the present site of Circular Quay and the opposing shore below a sky depicted in gold leaf.

The scene shows a uniformed officer standing in the doorway of the bedroom, pointing a finger towards Governor Bligh who is being dragged from under his bed by a NSW corpsmen in a red coat. Another corpsmen is running behind with a rifle. On the left in the foreground is a dog, painted in pink, crouched on its front paws.

Copyright status:: In copyright - Life of creator plus 70 years
Approval for reproduction required:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder

The source of Friend's 'The Arrest of Governor Bligh' is the iconic early colonial watercolour '[The arrest of Governor Bligh, 1808]' (Call no: Safe 4 / 5). This painting is attributed to an unknown artist commissioned by Sergeant Thomas Whittle, a N.S.W. Corps soldier involved in Bligh's arrest. The watercolour's provenance is through the family of Major George Johnson, the uniformed officer depicted in Friend's painting.

Reference:
Library correspondence file

Signed lower left 'DONALD FRIEND'