In 2009 work was commenced on the new Fortitude Valley Police Station and restoration of the original 1936 station building. During the restoration this painting on glass from a sash window, was removed from the top floor of the old police station.
The painting features an Australian bush scene with tall gum trees with a creek in centre of the image. Two indigenous men stand on the left bank watching three Caucasian men on the right creek bank, perhaps, pan for gold.
We do not know who painted the image or when it was completed.
Some information suggests that the top floor of the Fortitude Valley Police Station was used during the Second World War as a hospital and that one of the patients was the artist. However, we have been unable to confirm this story.
We would really like to find out who painted this lovely picture so we can exhibit the painting and tell the story. If you have any information about the painting or suggestions about how we might move the investigation forwards then please email the museum as we would love to hear from you.
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The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au
“Mystery of the Painted Window Glass” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode