| Description |
272 pages : illustrations (chiefly colour), colour portraits ; 26 cm |
| Contents |
Introduction : A singular character -- The heyday for natural history -- The painter of Mile End Old Town -- Natural history illustration : a thriving craft -- A dramatic farewell to England -- Settling into Sydney -- Colonial collectors -- Moving to Parramatta -- Explorations and expeditions -- Australia's first prints -- Preparing Birds of New Holland -- Making a living -- From Parramatta to Sydney -- The mystery of the missing Birds of New Holland -- John William Lewin, gentleman, coroner -- 'Now I am painting in oil' -- Australian artists go to court -- Publishing Birds of New South Wales -- Crossing the Blue Mountains -- Fish catch and Dawes Point -- Working for the government -- 'A very meritorious useful man' -- Epilogue : More for show, than for correctness |
| Summary |
Author, illustrator, printmaker and natural historian, John William Lewin created the first illustrated book ever published in Australia - Birds of New South Wales, in 1813. Featuring more than 150 exquisite artworks, Mr JW Lewin takes a fascinating look at Lewin's life and work, his place in colonial Australian society and the natural history craze that swept the world at that time. When Lewin arrived in New South Wales in 1800, the fledgling colony was by no means a favoured destination for artistic, ambitious Englishmen. Yet to Lewin, Australia was simply 'the finest country in the world', and it offered him the respectability and social standing he could never have found in England. Written by Richard Neville, Mitchell Librarian at the State Library of New South Wales, this book is a visually stunning testament to Lewin's artistic legacy |
| Analysis |
Australian |
| Notes |
This book was published to coincide with an exhibition, 'Lewin: Wild Art', held at the State Library of New South Wales (5 March -28 May 2012). The production of this book, and the Library exhibition, was generously supported by the Belalberi Foundation |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 257-260) and index |
| Notes |
State Library of New South Wales 2012 |
| Subject |
Lewin, John William, 1770-1819.
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Artists -- Australia -- Biography.
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Birds -- Australia -- Pictorial works.
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Natural history illustration -- Australia -- History.
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Natural history illustration -- Australia.
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Natural history illustrators -- Australia -- Biography.
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Natural history -- Australia -- Pictorial works.
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Naturalists -- Australia -- Biography.
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Ornithologists -- Australia -- Biography.
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| Genre/Form |
Biographies.
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Illustrated works.
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| Author |
Lewin, John William, 1770-1819, artist
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State Library of New South Wales.
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| LC no. |
2012453563 |
| ISBN |
1742233279 (paperback) |
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9781742233277 (paperback) |
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