| Brief Description |
This water colour by itinerant painter Christopher Aubrey shows a view of the Castlecliff Freezing Works in Wanganui, painted at dusk.
The landscape painting focuses on the north bank of the Whanganui River and follows the river bank through to the Castlecliff Freezing Works. The North Mole with breakers and the sea beyond are visible. A two masted ship and a smaller ketch are visible beyond the river mouth. A horse and rider head south east along the river bank. A railway steam engine and goods carriages appear at right of painting, travelling towards the Freezing Works. A three masted ship is moored at the Freezing Works quay, and a single masted vessel is moored in deep water of the river, away from the quayside. The Freezing Works are a series of joined industrial buildings in dark grey tones; a long chimney emits smoke. A moon is partially obscured by cloud and is reflected in the water of the river. Hills appear at upper right and tussock and scrub at lower right, with a steam train approaching the freezing works from the right.
Originally painted in shades of purple/red and blue/green, the painting is now very faded, as can be seen from edges of paper where a mat once covered part of the painting. Glued with animal glue on to cream card. Painting is from the same spot as two other paintings in Museum collection, but time of day is different.
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