Captain Cook statue, Hyde Park, New South Wales, watercolour by William Young

P3/285

fonds

approximately 1920s-1930s

Graphic Materials, Watercolours

9669862

1 watercolour - visible image 35 x 26 cm, mount 50 x 39 cm - on paper

Paul Sidney Goodwin was born in England and travelled widely before coming to Australia around 1919 to paint under the pseudonym William Young. Born in 1875 in Southampton, England, he first exhibited his works at the age of fourteen. After moving to London in 1894, he studied at the Croydon School of Art, and in the same year commenced exhibiting with the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts in Dublin. His uncle, Albert Goodwin (1845-1932) was a member of the Royal Watercolour Society and encouraged Goodwin in his artistic endeavours. Whilst in Australia he painted watercolour scenes of both Sydney and country areas. He died at his home in Woollahra in 1944.

Hyde Park was originally set aside for the use of Sydney by Governor Phillip in 1792 and is Australia’s oldest park. In its early years it was used for gathering firewood and grazing animals, then as a racecourse and venue for cricket games. Later in the 19th century it became a place for public speaking on political and civic topics, processions and official gatherings. During the 19th century it featured a central avenue of Moreton Bay figs with lawns, trees and shrubs. The whole park had to be redesigned in the 1920s after it was dug up for the City Circle railway line. The 1926 design competition for Hyde Park was won by Norman Weekes. Weekes design preferenced large open lawns and big plantations of trees using many native NSW species. Later elements that were not in Weekes design, such as groves of palm trees, ornamental shrubs and understory planting, were added.

Thomas Woolner’s statue of Captain James Cook was erected in Hyde Park in 1879 to mark the centenary of his death.

References:
Australian and New Zealand Art Sales Digest. “William Young Britain, Australia, 1875-1944.” Accessed 25 July 2023.
https://www.aasd.com.au/artist/1140-william-young/
City of Sydney. “History of Hyde Park.” Accessed 25 July 2023.
https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/histories-local-parks-playgrounds/history-hyde-park
Innes, Ian. “Grand old dame of Sydney’s parks.” Sydney Living Museums. Accessed 25 July 2023.
https://blogs.sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/publicsydney/grand-old-dame-of-sydneys-parks/
Library acquisition file
Marshall, Stephen Robertson. “SIDNEY GOODWIN also known as WILLIAM YOUNG.” Marshall Earth. Accessed 25 July 2023.
https://marshall.earth/goodwin.html
Whitaker, Anne-Marie. “Hyde Park.” Dictionary of Sydney. Accessed 25 July 2023.
https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/hyde_park

Vendor provided information that the work was previously sold by Geo Styles Gallery and exhibited at the David Jones Gallery.

1 watercolour showing the statue of Captain James Cook in Hyde Park, Sydney. Also in the artwork are trees and shrubs, an urn and the corner of the Australian Museum with a flag flying from its roof. Two men are sitting at the base of the statue.

Out of copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Title devised by cataloguer based upon content of artwork and title vendor provided.

'W. Young' in the lower right of the watercolour.

Date based on information supplied by vendor, dates the artist was active in Australia and the mature trees in the artwork.