Artist unknown :[HMS Galatea with Royal Party anchored off Kororareka, Russell, Bay of Islands, May 1869].

Shows a view from near Flagstaff Hill, looking down on Russell and the Bay of Islands, with nine sailing ships with many flags anchored off the bay and one smaller steamship nearing the shore. Paihia is in the background, across the water

Attributed by previous owner to Nicholas Chevalier who was an artist on an earlier voyage with the Duke of Edinburgh. However Chevalier was not on the 1869 voyage and the style of the work does not appear to be his.

There is no known record of a visit by the Galatea to the Bay of Islands. The ship left Auckland and proceeded to Tahiti. It may have called at the Bay of Islands en route.

Inscriptions: No inscriptions on the work itself. Title from mat (discarded by the Library) supplied by a previous dealer.

There is an almost identical work in the collection of Auckland Public Library, attributed to J C Hoyte. It is unsigned. The title assigned to it is Looking southwest from Flagstaff Hill over Kororareka. It was formerly in the collection of the Old Colonists Museum, and came into the Library when the Museum closed in 1957. The ships at anchor are assumed to be the American whaling fleet. There are seven ships at anchor.

A further, almost identical version of this painting has been identified, housed at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is signed and dated 'C.H. [Kennett] Watkins / 1874', with reference number 2001.100.4397. (Information supplied by Lindsay Alexander, Russell, October 2014).

Quantity: 1 watercolour(s).

Physical Description: Watercolour, 248 x 347 mm.

Provenance: Previously owned by John Crowder, Trinity House, Waikawa, Marlborough. Title and date suggested by John Crowder.