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| Sandhurst in 1862 | |
| Type: | Oil on canvas |
| Creator: | Thomas Wright |
| Date: | 1862 |
| Description: | This is one of the Gallery’s finest works, capturing the town of Sandhurst following the gold rush. Painted from an elevated position, Sandhurst in 1862 is full of incidents and activity – bullocks hauling timber to the sawmill, riders on horseback, a woman hanging out the washing. No longer a tent city, Sandhurst had many impressive buildings at this time, including Knipe’s Castle on a hill to the extreme right which unfortunately was demolished in 1929. However this painting is more than a recording of Bendigo in its early days, rather it conveys a sense of promise and fulfillment. The young pioneering family in the foreground symbolise the settlers and diggers who established the city, the scene is bathed in golden light alluding to the golden future ahead. In the distance a railway train can be seen, the Melbourne to Bendigo line having opened in October 1862 amidst much public celebration. It is thought that Thomas Wright may have painted this scene to commemorate this grand occasion. |
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| Collection: Bendigo Art Gallery | |
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