Campbell (Verge) House, Parramatta 1838-9 [first draft]
Conrad Martens: Archive | Beagle Journal 1833-4 | Brush Scene, Illawarra 1850-1 | Campbell House 1838-9 ( 2 ) | Four bridges? | Illawarra, 1835 | Mullet Creek, Illawarra 1853 | The Picturesque | Conrad Martens, [ Landscape near Sydney] 1839 . Watercolour and gouache, 44.5 x 69 cm. Signed and dated lower left 'C. Martens 1839'. Collection: State Library of New South Wales. [NB: Refer to the updated version of this blog HERE ] During November 2019 a hitherto unknown watercolour by the English artist Conrad Martens (1801-1878) was offered for sale by auction house Bozna Kunstauktionen of Bolzano, Italy for €5,000. The work was done in the Picturesque manner of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century English watercolour school. This method was typified by a formalised structure and artificial placement of real elements of the landscape, all aimed at beautifying and enhancing the view. Nature featured in the Martens painting, through the portrayal of a serpe...