Martens' account book lists the sale of four paintings with the title 'View from Craigend' in 1836. The first sale, for ten guineas, was on 7 January to 'Major Mitchell', later Sir Thomas Mitchell, Surveyor-General of New South Wales, from whose property, Craigend, the view was taken. It is likely that Mitchell's painting is that now in the National Library of Australia. In that version the verandah columns of Craigend frame the left-hand side of the view. The second sale, on 6 February, was a smaller view for 6 guineas to 'S. Tingcombe Esq.' The next sale, on 9 April, was another view for ten guineas to architect Ambrose Hallen, probably a reference to this watercolour. The fourth 'View from Craigend' sold in 1836 was another 6 guinea smaller painting sold on 25 April to one 'Baxter Esq.' [Mitchell Library ZDL MS142]. One of the smaller watercolours is now in the collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the gift of the Corry family in 1946, and appears to derive from the same preliminary drawing as the larger Hallen version. (see illustration in Art Gallery of New South Wales
19th century Australian watercolours, drawings & pastels (1995) p. 29].Martens's 'Views from Craigend' were popular with clients in the late 1830s and early 1840s. Up to nine versions were painted, including an oil in 1841.There are two preliminary drawings dated 1839 (ZPXC 296, folio 4) and 1841 (ZPXC971, folio 4) taken from slightly different angles, in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales.
Craigend once stood at the top of William Street, Kings Cross. A street now bears its name but the house was demolished in the early 1920s. It commanded a splendid outlook over the Harbour to the South Head Lighthouse, Darling Point (marked by the smoke of fires in this work), Rushcutters Bay, the North Shore and Bradleys Head (centre), with Clarke Island centre right. The prominent house in the centre left of the painting is Roslyn Hall, designed by Ambrose Hallen for Darlinghurst mill-owner Thomas Barker, and this watercolour is probably that bought by Hallen in April 1836. In the centre of the picture, middle distance, are the stables of Alexander Macleay's Elizabeth Bay estate. [MM March 2006]
