sketcher and surveyor, qualified as a licensed surveyor in New South Wales in April 1859. Between 1861 and 1879 he undertook surveying work in the counties of Bathurst, Wellington, Gordon, Bligh, Lincoln and Ashburton. A collection of small watercolour and pencil drawings (Dixson Library) contains several works signed with Simpson’s initials and/or attributed to him. All date from the period during which he was training as a surveyor or earlier, although only one pencil view, annotated 'Nicholson Surveyors’ Camp Bald Hills Bathurst in 1856 by W.B. Simpson: apprentice to Nicholson’, is directly connected with his work. Several are homestead views, including Ba[u]lkham Hills, Res. of Geo. Sutter (initialled and dated 1855) and an unsigned pencil drawing (c.1853) of Hereford Bathurst Residence of John Nicholson (presumably his master). An early pencil drawing, Garden Island, Robinson Baths , is initialled and dated 1851 and an unsigned watercolour view shows Darling Street, Balmain, a clumsy (and presumably youthful) work of historical interest.
Some of the unsigned sketches in the collection may be by or after other artists. For instance, a watercolour view, Bottle and Glass, Vaucluse , looks like a copy after or original by Conrad Martens who did several views of this rocky outcrop, while a Sydney watercolour showing the corner of O’Connell and Bent streets, which Simpson gave to 'Min’ on 31 December 1853, appears to be initialled 'D’ or 'J’.
Simpson’s watercolour Old Refinery, Pyrmont 1892 was sold at Sotheby’s Fine Australian and European Paintings Melbourne, 24 November 1998, lot. 373. Active 1861-1900 acc. Sotheby’s.
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
- Date written:
- 1992
- Last updated:
- 2011
