painting
Artwork
Accession Number
989.007.001Description
A gilt-framed oil painting on paper beneath a white matboard depicting a light brown dirt road leading to a stretch of ocean. To the left of the road is a horizontally-boarded fence, and on the right, the edge of a cliff. In the distance on the left is a two-story hip-roofed house with two single-story structures seemingly attached to its left side. At the end of the road is a building silhouetted against the ocean. In the distance at right is a piece of land extending into the sea. This area is covered with indistinct man-made structures. At the bottom right is the artist's signature (BAMFORD) in block letters.Narrative
This picture depicts the shooting range which once existed at Victoria's Clover Point. The closest structure could be "Henley's Hotel", later known as "Cliff House", though there is reason to believe that the distant structure at the end of the road might be Henley's Hotel. A scene similar to that depicted in this painting was captured by photographer Frederick Elworthy in about 1900. (See: https://archives.victoria.ca/view-from-the-foot-of-cook-street-towards-clover-point-henleys-hotel-in-the-background)More information on Henley's Hotel and the rifle range can be found in Janis Ringuette's website, Beacon Hill Park History. See: https://beaconhillparkhistory.org/contents/appendix_C.htm (last accessed 21 July, 2021).
The Castle Society acknowledges Lotus Johnson and members of the Facebook group, Victoria Then and Now for help in identifying the scene in this painting.
