Blue Mountains History Journal Issue 2

Blue Mountains History Journal 2; 2011
Of the other landscape sketches there are a number that appear to be of the Hartley Valley and the
western escarpment. Among these are a group of suited men (possibly employees of her husband’s
department) enjoying a first glimpse of the valley through a break in the trees (Figure 12); a view of a
roughly fenced road, probably Victoria Pass, descending the escarpment (Figure 13) and painted from
a position that suggests the party made a detour along the old road to Mt. York;
and a view looking back on the road winding west from the escarpment with a bullock dray making its
slow progress in the middle distance (Figure 14). This group of sketches also includes a delightfully
Figure 12. Enjoying a View (Martindale 1860b;
Mitchell Library SLNSW).
Figure 13. Victoria Pass, Mt. Victoria
(Martindale 1860b; Mitchell Library, SLNSW).
composed drawing of the little bridge over the River Lett at Hartley, across which a woman (perhaps
the artist herself) makes her way, framed by two trees growing on either side of the stream (Figure 15).
Possibly the most interesting drawing of all, however, is one that illustrates well how the private sketch
book can throw up atypical but historically important subjects. Against the background of a rough
timber hut, fenced land and bush, Mary depicted a group of Chinese travellers, making their way either
to or from the goldfields (Figure 16).
Figure 14. Hartley Valley with Bullock Team
(Martindale 1860b;Mitchell Library, SLNSW).
Figure 15. Bridge over the River Lett,Hartley
(Martindale 1860b; Mitchell Library SLNSW).
The Chinese would have been a regular sight on the Western Road and Rachel Henning also encountered
them. In July 1861 she described in words what Mary Martindale recorded visually:
“We met some the other day, evidently newly arrived from China, with broad flat hats with a little
point in the middle, like ancient shields, and carrying their property slung at each end of a stick and
balanced over their shoulders, exactly like the little men crossing the bridge on the willow-pattern
plates.” (Adams 1985, p.72)
Though a very visible presence after the discovery of gold in NSW and Victoria, the Chinese were not
a common subject in the art of the time.
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