Erik Nitsche: Fort Castle Hill/Newfoundland

Artist: Erik Nitsche
1908 - 1998
Nationality: Swiss
Artwork Year: 1985
Image Size: 12 by 14 inches
Overall Size: 15 by 20 inches
Medium: Mixed Media on Cold Press Illustration Board

When French colonists first began exploring the Canadian wilderness in the 1600s, they found Newfoundland's soil rich and fertile ... and the waters bountiful with fish. As Newfoundland became more populated, the French court selected the small Newfoundland village of Placentia as a base for its fishing fleet. Placentia was chosen for its excellent harbor, long sandy beach suitable for drying large quantities of cod, and a convenient supply of fresh water. These characteristics, and the fact that the town was flanked by a large hill that overlooked the bay and surrounding countryside, also made Placentia of great strategic importance. The French fortified the area with Fort Le Gaillardin which was built on the hill to protect the area from enemy attack. The fort itself did not see actual battle until a rivalry between the French and English broke into open warfare in the 1690s. England eventually won the conflict and renamed the fort Castle Hill. With the establishment of other British colonies in North America, Fort Castle Hill's importance slowly declined until the last troops departed in 1811. Today, visitors can walk among the ruins of this historic fort and observe its commanding position overlooking the town and harbor. This artwork symbolizes Fort Castle Hill's colorful history with the provincial flag of Newfoundland, a fleet of French warships, a decorated French cannon and a portion of the Fort's stone wall as it has been restored today.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the Canada 34¢ Fort Castle Hill stamp issued June 28, 1985.

Artwork Copyright © 1985 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB09687

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