Woolloomooloo Bay.

• • • Rare PROOF VERSION  of John Skinner Prout’s view of Woolloomooloo 

We believe this lithograph to be the PROOF version for the lithograph titled, Woolloomooloo Bay, Sydney that appeared in the published series by John Skinner Prout, Sydney Illustrated,. There are numerous distinct differences between this proof version and the published version.

The differences between the Proof version and Published version are as follows;

1. Proof version: The two figures: a woman and man near the coach are positioned on the right of the view.
    Published version: The two figures: both men near the coach, are positioned to the left.

2. Proof version: There is a lone figure of a man walking towards the harbour between the coach  and the figures in the foreground.
    Published version: This figure has been removed.

3. Proof version: There is no bend on the road that the coach is on.
    Published version: A bend to the left has been added.

4.  Proof version & Published version: Foreground to the left and right of the road has been changed

5. Proof Version: Woman in the foreground is holding one child in her arms and there are two others on either side of her.
   Published Version: The woman is now seated and has a child on her knee (the other children have been removed) and a basket has been added to her right.

6. Proof Version: Government House stands alone.
    Published version: A building has been placed to the left of Government House. 

Prout records that this view is taken from the racecourse which was then at Hyde Park, looking north-east. The island stretching across the mouth of the bay is Garden Island (it was joined to the mainland during World War II). The path crossing the foreground is ‘the high road to Woolloomooloo‘. 

Ref: Sydney Views 1788-1888 Knoblauch Collection Item 27 Page 53

Collections:
National Library of Australia collection: Bib ID:1380667