Surveying Brig Rapid in Rapid Bay October 12th 1836. Watercolor after William Light by Stevenson, Walter after Colonel William Light - 1870

London, 1870. This watercolor appears to be based on one executed by William Light, one of the founding fathers of Adelaide, and the person who single-handedly situated & designed the city. "Light's original watercolor of this painting was exhibited in Adelaide in 1848 'but has since disappeared. In fact at the Jubilee Exhibition in 1886 a copy of it was displayed. It may have been the one painted by Walter Stevenson in London in 1870.' (Elder, David. "The Art of William Light", 1987, p. 102). Elder concludes, "The original watercolor was perhaps the one he referred to in his diary on 20 March 1839, 'Finished the Rapid sailing up Gulf St Vincent'." There is a pencil sketch of the scene in one of Light's notebooks in the State Library of South Australia. This appears to be the painting by Walter Stevenson in London in 1870. We purchased it many years ago in London, and noted on the verso "W. Stevenson Kensington". The verso adds the note "Surveying Brig Rapid in Rapid Bay October 12th 1836" and "These notes copied from back of mount which was very soiled. S. Button 11/12/62" The stickers used to fix the picture to the mat appear to be the borders from stamp sheets, with some printing on them. Watercolor, on wove paper, 25 x 35 cm. Very good condition.