The Foundation of Perth 1829
Encyclopedia
The Foundation of Perth 1829 is a 1929 oil-on-canvas painting by George Pitt Morison
. It depicts the ceremony by which the town of Perth, Western Australia
was founded on 12 August 1829. Morison painted the work as part of Western Australia
's centenary
celebrations, and presented it to the Art Gallery of Western Australia
in February 1929.
The painting took George Pitt Morison almost eighteen months to research and paint. He studied a number of contemporary accounts of the ceremony, and had access to photographs of the people present. It is generally regarded as an historically accurate reconstruction.
The official ceremony depicted in the image was held on a small hill overlooking the Swan River
, in the immediate vicinity of the present Perth Town Hall
. As no stones were readily available, it was decided to mark the occasion by felling a tree. The only woman to accompany the party so far up the river from Fremantle
, Mrs Helena Dance, was invited to strike the first blow. The Foundation of Perth depicts Mrs Dance holding the axe and about to make the first cut. Immediately to the right of her in the painting is an axe-man, waiting to complete the task. Other people depicted in the work include Lieutenant Governor James Stirling
, Captain Charles Fremantle
, Commander Mark John Currie
, Major Frederick Irwin
, Captain William Dance, the Colonial Secretary
Peter Broun
, Dr William Milligan and the Surveyor-General Lieutenant John Septimus Roe
.
The Foundation of Perth 1829 has become an "enduring and influential image" (Gooding 1989) in the history of Western Australia
. It was used extensively in both the 1929 centenary celebrations, and the WAY 1979
sesquicentennial celebrations. The painting is often not even acknowledged as a historical reconstruction, and many people have come to accept it as an authentic record of the ceremony,.
George Pitt Morison
George Pitt Morison was an Australian painter and engraver noted particularly for his painting The Foundation of Perth 1829 which was commissioned as part of Western Australia's centenary celebrations, and presented to the Art Gallery of Western Australia in February 1929.In 1890 he travelled to...
. It depicts the ceremony by which the town of Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
was founded on 12 August 1829. Morison painted the work as part of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
's centenary
Centenary of Western Australia
In 1929, Western Australia celebrated the centenary of the founding of Perth and the establishment of the Swan River Colony, the first permanent European settlement...
celebrations, and presented it to the Art Gallery of Western Australia
Art Gallery of Western Australia
The Art Gallery of Western Australia is a public gallery that is part of the Perth Cultural Centre, in Perth, Western Australia. It is located near the Western Australian Museum and State Library of Western Australia...
in February 1929.
The painting took George Pitt Morison almost eighteen months to research and paint. He studied a number of contemporary accounts of the ceremony, and had access to photographs of the people present. It is generally regarded as an historically accurate reconstruction.
The official ceremony depicted in the image was held on a small hill overlooking the Swan River
Swan River (Western Australia)
The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow....
, in the immediate vicinity of the present Perth Town Hall
Perth Town Hall
The Perth Town Hall, situated on the corner of Hay and Barrack streets, is the only convict-built town hall in Australia.Designed by Richard Roach Jewell and James Manning in the Victorian Free Gothic style, the hall was built by convicts and free men between 1868 and 1870...
. As no stones were readily available, it was decided to mark the occasion by felling a tree. The only woman to accompany the party so far up the river from Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
, Mrs Helena Dance, was invited to strike the first blow. The Foundation of Perth depicts Mrs Dance holding the axe and about to make the first cut. Immediately to the right of her in the painting is an axe-man, waiting to complete the task. Other people depicted in the work include Lieutenant Governor James Stirling
James Stirling (Australian governor)
Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...
, Captain Charles Fremantle
Charles Fremantle
Admiral Sir Charles Howe Fremantle GCB RN was a British Royal Navy officer. The city of Fremantle in Western Australia is named after him.-Early life:...
, Commander Mark John Currie
Mark John Currie
Captain Mark John Currie RN played a significant role in the exploration of Australia and the foundation of the Swan River Colony, later named 'Western Australia'....
, Major Frederick Irwin
Frederick Irwin
Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Chidley Irwin was acting Governor of Western Australia from 1847 to 1848.Born in 1788 in Enniskillen, Ireland, Frederick Chidley Irwin was the son of Reverend James Irwin. In 1808, he was commissioned into the 83rd Regiment of Foot...
, Captain William Dance, the Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary of Western Australia
The Colonial Secretary of Western Australia was one of the most important and powerful public offices in Western Australia, in the time when Western Australia was a British colony. The Colonial Secretary was the representative of the British Colonial Office in Western Australia, and was usually...
Peter Broun
Peter Broun
Peter Nicholas Broun , known for most of his life as Peter Nicholas Brown, was the first Colonial Secretary of Western Australia, and a member of Western Australia's first Legislative Council.-Early life:...
, Dr William Milligan and the Surveyor-General Lieutenant John Septimus Roe
John Septimus Roe
John Septimus Roe was the first Surveyor-General of Western Australia. He was a renowned explorer, and a Member of Western Australia's Legislative and Executive Councils for nearly 40 years.-Early life:...
.
The Foundation of Perth 1829 has become an "enduring and influential image" (Gooding 1989) in the history of Western Australia
History of Western Australia
The human history of Western Australia commenced between 40,000 and 60,000 years ago with the arrival of Indigenous Australians on the north-west coast. The first inhabitants expanded the range of their settlement to the east and south of the continent. The first recorded European contact was in...
. It was used extensively in both the 1929 centenary celebrations, and the WAY 1979
WAY 1979
WAY '79, also referred to as WAY 79 and WAY 1979, was the official 1979 sesquicentennial celebration of the colonisation of Western Australia by Europeans.-Planning:...
sesquicentennial celebrations. The painting is often not even acknowledged as a historical reconstruction, and many people have come to accept it as an authentic record of the ceremony,.