New South Wales Pioneers Photographs by George Bell 1890-1900 COLLECTION INFORMATION SHEETS

New South Wales Pioneers Photographs by George Bell 1890-1900 COLLECTION INFORMATION SHEETS

Introduction In 2008 the Powerhouse Museum introduced a new series of research publications, which it has made available online in PDF format. The stories and information arise out of current collection research and provide more detailed information about the collection than is available through the Museum s online database. This is one of a number of online publications the Museum is developing. Other series include facsimile copies of old or out-of-print catalogues, books and brochures as well as collection information sheets and peer reviewed research. These are all available through the Museum s on-line collection database OPAC. Contents 1. Background...3 2. Photographs from the collection... 4-15 Collection Information Series New South Wales Pioneers; photographs by George Bell 1890-1900 First published 2008 www.powerhousemuseum.com.au Text & Layout: Geoff Barker Digitisation of original negatives: Jean-Francois Lanzarone Information sheet template: Anne Slam Cover image: The Waterbag, photograph George Bell, pub;lished by Kerry & Co., PHM 85/1284-243 2008 Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences 2 CURATORIAL RESEARCH SERIES

background The photographer George Bell was employed by the Sydney firm of Kerry and Co.in 1890, and the work he produced over the following ten years, stands amongst the best of this period. Bell s pictures transcended hackneyed journalistic records of people and places, and his best photos, contain a lyrical quality, at odds with the demands of journalistic realism. His main strength was his ability gain the confidence of his subjects, click the shutter at just the right moment to slice a moment out of time, and successfully capture a story. Initially these focussed mainly on life in rural Australia and some of his photographs were so successful they defined Australian outback mythology in the eyes of many of his contemporaries. 1 Unfortunately Bell s photographs have, in some ways, fallen victim to their own success. Published in numerous magazines, articles and turned into postcards in the early 1900s, they became iconic images of Australian life and carved themselves into the nation s consciousness in the wake of Federation in 1901. Many now appear to be overly sentimental or even clichéd, but they are still beautifully composed and considered images, the best of which tell heir story eloquently. Born in Cornwall, England, Bell found his love of travel and of photography while working as a surveyor for the Victorian Government Engineers. 2 One of his first professional ventures with the camera came in 1890. This was the year he was commissioned as photographer on the Victory expedition to New Guinea, sponsored by the New South Wales Government and the Burns Philp company. 3 Upon his return he was employed by Charles Kerry who immediately set about instructing him in the finer points of landscape photography. This was completed quickly and Bell was soon dispatched, with a carefully worked-out map, to photograph rural New South Wales. 4 Between 1890 and 1900 Bell, not only honed his craft, he produced many of his most memorable images. Among the best of these are Pioneers, On the Road to Dorrigo, The Farmers Daughter, Rounding Up, and perhaps his best known, The Waterbag or Halt for refreshment. 5 In 1900 he left Kerry s studio, taking up a position as photo-journalist at the Sydney Mail newspaper. When interviewed in 1908 Bell was still at the top of his game and able to combine the high volumes demanded of him as a photo-journalist without compromising the quality of his images. 6 Only a few of the photographs in this selection have been positively identified George Bell s work, but given their style, and subject matter, it is likely many others were taken by him. Geoff Barker, Curatorial, November 2008 (Endnotes) 1 David, Millar, Charles Kerry s Federation Australia, Sydney, David Ell Press, 1981, p.14 2 Valdon, Our Artistic Workers; Mr. George Bell, Australian Photographic Journal, Volume 17, Number 199, December 21, 1908, p.359 3 Valdon, Our Artistic Workers; Mr. George Bell, Australian Photographic Journal, Volume 17, Number 199, December 21, 1908, p.360 4 Valdon, Our Artistic Workers; Mr. George Bell, Australian Photographic Journal, Volume 17, Number 199, December 21, 1908, p.361 5 Valdon, Our Artistic Workers; Mr. George Bell, Australian Photographic Journal, Volume 17, Number 199, December 21, 1908, p.359-368 6 Valdon, Our Artistic Workers; Mr. George Bell, Australian Photographic Journal, Volume 17, Number 199, December 21, 1908, p.369 NEW SOUTH WALES PIONEERS BY GEORGE BELL; KERRY & CO. PHOTOGRAPHER 1890-1900 3

The Pioneers Wife photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-484 The Pioneers Home photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-780 4 CURATORIAL RESEARCH SERIES

Lucy Sawtell and family, Dotrrigo Distrct, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-777 Moving the Sunshine harvester into the shed, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-107 NEW SOUTH WALES PIONEERS BY GEORGE BELL; KERRY & CO. PHOTOGRAPHER 1890-1900 5

Building the wheat stack, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-108 Loading wheat bags, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-780 6 CURATORIAL RESEARCH SERIES

Shearing wool from the sheep s flank, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-1048 Wool sorting, Thurulcoona Station, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-1055 NEW SOUTH WALES PIONEERS BY GEORGE BELL; KERRY & CO. PHOTOGRAPHER 1890-1900 7

Wool sorting room, Clifton Station, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-786 Wool sorting, ographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-134 8 CURATORIAL RESEARCH SERIES

Baling wool, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-140 Off to school, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-780 NEW SOUTH WALES PIONEERS BY GEORGE BELL; KERRY & CO. PHOTOGRAPHER 1890-1900 9

Stockman mustering cattle, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-337 River crossing Wollondilly, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-788 10 CURATORIAL RESEARCH SERIES

On the Wallaby Track, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-171 Wagon loaded with wheat for the market at Narromine Station, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-109 NEW SOUTH WALES PIONEERS BY GEORGE BELL; KERRY & CO. PHOTOGRAPHER 1890-1900 11

Horses stopping for a midday meal, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-293 Mail coach, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-780 12 CURATORIAL RESEARCH SERIES

Bullock team hauling timber, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-263 Afghan camel train on the Wanaaring Road, Worrego District, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-765 NEW SOUTH WALES PIONEERS BY GEORGE BELL; KERRY & CO. PHOTOGRAPHER 1890-1900 13

Riverboat Excelsior on the Darling River, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-2200 Riverboats unloading wool at Bourke, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-765 14 CURATORIAL RESEARCH SERIES

The Waterbag, photographed by George Bell, published by Kerry and Co, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1890-1900 PHM 85/1284-243 NEW SOUTH WALES PIONEERS BY GEORGE BELL; KERRY & CO. PHOTOGRAPHER 1890-1900 15