Captain Arthur Phillip Fountain

Public Art: Captain Arthur Phillip Fountain

Sculptor: © Achille Simonetti (sculptor James White also assisted)

Date: 1897

Location: In the Royal Botanic Gardens near the intersection of Macquarie Street and Shakespeare Place, Sydney, Australia.

Cast : Florence, Italy, by F.Galli.

Commission: Sir Henry Parkes at a cost of £13,000 ( the costliest of its kind at the time).

Description: The fountain features a marble pedestal for which the bronze likeness of Captain Phillips adorns. The rectangular pedestal features three reliefs of Justice, Patriotism and Education. Below the pedestal are the reclining bronze figures of Neptune, Agriculture, Cyclops and Commerce. But wait there is more, between the figures are paired dolphins separated by four marble consoles embelished with bronze plaques of Aboriginal people. And last but no least the four giant marble clam shells featuring four bronze prows of ships which feed the water into the white marble basins.

History of The Captain Arthur Phillips Fountain: The Captain Arthur Phillips Fountain was erected in the Royal Botanical Gardens in 1897, by the Governor of New South Wales, Viscount Hampden, following the devastating fire which destroyed the Garden Palace and left a city in mourning. The fountain and sculpture was erected in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s Reign. It was Sir Henry Parkes friend and Balmain neighbor, Italian born sculptor Achille Simonetti, who was given the job. Simonetti, at the time, was a modeling instructor at the school of the NSW Academy of Art.

Brief History of Captain Arthur Phillips : So who was this Captain? He was appointed Governor of New South Wales, the first European colony on the Australian continent, and was the founder of the site which is now the city of Sydney. Here is a really short history lesson, when Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in Botany Bay (First Fleet), on 18 January 1788, following eight months at sea, he was none too amused with the location recommended by Joseph Banks. The bay had inadequate anchorage and inadequate water supply for the 11 ships and hundreds of disgruntled passengers (and livestock),  so he set out with a party of officers in a small boat to find a more suitable location. They eventually found the perfect harbour and Phillip christened it Sydney Cove, after the British Home Secretary, Thomas Townshend, Lord Sydney, in recognition of Lord Sydney's role in issuing the charter authorising Phillip to establish a colony. Phillip was the first New South Wales Governor from 26th January 1788 until 10th December,1792.

Inscription:

Controversy: Hard to imagine this ornate memorial fountain having any controversy (I jest). Yes, poor Simonetti suffered nearly a decade of pain, thanks to both political and aesthetic debates. It seems he was pressured by lovers of allegorical and naturalistic sculpture, resulting in him eventually producing an ungainly combination of the two.

Crazy Facts: The Greek portico was not added until the 1930's (why bother?).

Sad Facts: I have just done a little bit of rummaging and I have uncovered a sad little fact. Poor old Captain Phillip's bones are missing! Yes indeed. The remains of the founder of Sydney, Australia, have been lost by the Church of England, and no one knows the location to this day. Bad enough he was laid to rest in St Nicholas Church, Bathampton, BUT to be mislaid as well. Reminds me of the sad old tale of Sir Captain James Stirling. Just dreadful. Geoffrey Robertson Q.C. has vowed to locate the bones of our "national treasure" and return them to Australia. I shall keep you informed.