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The Ducie collection of First Fleet art [picture] / [George Raper]
Bib ID 3563487
Format PicturePicture, OnlineOnline
Author
Raper, George, 1769-1796
 
Online Versions http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3563487
Description 1788. 
56 drawings : watercolour ; 40.7 x 32 cm. or smaller. 
Summary

The Ducie collection contains 56 watercolours attributed to George Raper, a midshipman on the flag ship 'Sirius', and one of the most talented First Fleet artists. They show the birds and flowers of the Port Jackson area as Raper saw them between 1788 and 1790. Many are the first visual records by a European artist of particular species such as the swamp lily and wedding bush and reflect the awe and wonder of the sailors as they encountered Australian birds and plants for the first time. The collection also contains 3 drawings of South African birds, presumed to have been executed by Raper on any one of three visits to South Africa between 1787 and 1792.

Biography/History Seaman and artist. Joined HMS Sirius as able bodied seaman Dec 1786 and promoted to midshipman Sept 1787 on voyage to New South Wales. Sailed on Sirius on voyage to Cape of Good Hope 1788-89 and was at Norfolk Island in 1790-91. Returned to England in April 1792. 
Notes

Collection title devised by cataloguer.

Attributed to George Raper by National Library of Australia Pictures Branch.

Some of the watercolours have pencil inscriptions on them. Some have watermarks on the paper.

Also available in an electronic version via the Internet at: http:/­/­nla.gov.au/­nla.pic-vn3563487

Related Material Some of the works in this collection were used as a basis for works in Birds & flowers of New South Wales drawn on the spot in 1788, '89 and '90 / John Hunter. The Hunter work is located in the National Library of Australia Pictures collection. 
Provenance Purchased from the Ducie/Moreton family, October 2005. 
Subjects Birds - New South Wales - Sydney Region - Pictorial works - Early works to 1800.  |  Flowers - New South Wales - Sydney Region - Pictorial works - Early works to 1800.
Related records
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Details Collect From
PIC/9838/1-56 LOC MS SR WS 2 Manual Request only from Pictures Reading Room, 2nd Floor
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Members of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Maori communities are advised that this catalogue contains names and images of deceased people. All users of the catalogue should also be aware that certain words, terms or descriptions may be culturally sensitive and may be considered inappropriate today, but may have reflected the author's/creator's attitude or that of the period in which they were written.