Dawes Point showing Sydney Harbour Bridge in the course of constructionc 1927

Herbert Gallop born in 1890, moved to Sydney from rural New South Wales to become an apprentice signwriter and took evening classes at the Sydney Art School under Julian Ashton. By the age of 17 he was exhibiting with the Royal Society. He taught art for 20 years, as well as producing a wealth of landscapes in oil, watercolour and using etching techniques.

This painting documents the construction of the southern pylons and approaches for the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Building the bridge was an enormous undertaking — it took eight years and cost over 10 million pounds or in today’s cost, over five billion dollars. It also provided employment to over 1400 workers during the Depression years.