Sydney Harbour, N.S.W. Emigrants Arriving. Government House and Fort Macquarie. To Oswald Blaxome Esq. Rangers, North Shore & Sydney this print is respectfully dedicated by O.W. Brierly.

Rare, separately issued print by this well known marine artist, who came to Australia in 1841 as the personal artist on the largest and most elegant private yacht ever seen in Australian waters. The Wanderer, owned by Ben Boyd, was greeted by cheering crowds who swarmed around Sydney Cove, excited by the arrival of this magnificent boat. Ben Boyd the tall, aristocratic Scottish merchant banker and stockbroker, set out to establish a maritime trading empire with raised capital to invest at Eden on the south coast of New South Wales. The reception that the Wanderer received on that first day is seen replicated in this print of newly arrived emigrants on board a magnificent clipper ship in full sail, is set against the back drop of Government House and Fort Macquarie to the right.

Images such as these promoted the colony to prospective emigrants, especially so after the discovery of gold in New South Wales, which occurred in the same year as the print was issued. The print is dedicated to Oswald Bloxsome who owned a magnificent mansion at Mosman and was so impressed by Brierly’s artistic abilities that he built him a small cottage in his garden.

Ref: HSEA pg 142-3