Raluana Head

Depicts a panoramic view of the harbour with a stone pier and mountains from Raluana Point in New Guinea. The mountains in the background of the scene are, from left to right: North Daughter, Mother with Old Crater in front and South Daughter. Raluana Head was the site of a battery erected by Australian Expeditionary Forces. Although Bryant began his New Guinea sketches in Rabaul between September and November 1923, they were completed in Australia. On commissioning the artist in 1923, the War Memorial suggested that he complete a sketch with the title of 'Raluana Head (Blanche Bay) from the bay shewing the site of the Battery erected by the Expeditionary Force'.

Charles Bryant (1883-1937) had some early art lessons before beginning his career as a clerk in the Bank of NSW. In 1908 he travelled to London and studied marine painting at St. Ives in Cornwall. In December 1917 he was appointed as an Official War Artist, attached to the 2nd Division AIF working in France. His commission was terminated in December 1918 and he returned to Australia in 1921 where he undertook further work for Australian War Records. In 1923 he was commissioned by the War Memorial to paint a series of works in connection with the occupation of German New Guinea by Australian troops. From 1924 to 1930, Bryant ran a paint shop in Manly where he was a founder of the Manly Art Gallery in 1924. In 1925 he was commissioned to paint the United States fleet in Sydney Harbour for presentation to the President of the USA.