Colonial Oil of Orange Farm Bridgetown

A charming WA naive oil of Orange Farm on the Blackwood River c1890. The tradition of naive painting in WA is continuation of the limner tradition from England where jobbing sign writers would paint pub signs and prized pigs. Here, the artists were often men who had followed the Gold Rush to WA and not done so well! This subject is a farm on the Blackwood River between Nappup and Bridgetown. The Brockman Highway now follows the path of the track in the picture. The farm was one of three land grants to the Wheatley brothers, who each built stone and brick houses all of which still exist. The picture is in its original early Australian gilt frame.

Image: 590 mm x 390 mm