Historical information

Ramon (Ray) Francis Honisett (11.04.1931 - 30.08.2019), Fellow RMIT and medallist specialised in philatelic design, marine and military aircraft painting art and was active in the 1960s - 1990s.

Ray Honisett used to live in Rye, in the Mornington Peninsula.

According to Gavin Fry's book: The painting likely depicts the Lysaght Endeavour loading at Hastings. "The Lysaght Endeavour and its sister ship Lysaght Entreprise were built in Newcastle in 1973 specifically to serve the regional steel industry on the route Port Kembla - Westernport - Adelaide. Even after being lengthened by 17 metres, the two ships had remarkably short working lines, with both being broken up by 1988."

Physical description

Large framed unglazed landscape format painting predominantly green depicting in foreground a merchant vessel, a roll-on roll-off cargo ship moored at a single quayside on a river or river mouth.
The middle ground shows a moderate solid jetty leading to large storage sheds at right. The background appears primarily rural with fields and hills in the distance.
The location is probably Hastings Western Port in Victoria - notice the forklifts loading rolls of steel produced at the nearby steel rolling mill - the buildings in the distance. You can see the rolls of steel lined up on the hard stand to the right of the ship. The funnel colours suggest the Australian National Line.
The frame incorporates a beige fabric slip with gilt edge the actual dark wood frame also with inset banded gilt edge. The back of the painting is covered with brown paper in places damaged. Hangs on a cotton cord threaded between two screw in eyelet hooks.

Inscriptions & markings

at lower right corner single uc word in black paint : "HONISETT"

References