Cawker, Louis (1834-1908; Welsh) The new floating battery, for the defence of Sydney Harbour 1867 Wood engraving Acquired 1868 State Library of Victoria (IMP24/01/67/8) This print, published in the Illustrated Melbourne Post, 24 January 1867, illustrated a recently-invented device credited to an inventor named R.Rutter. Refs. PF (acc.no.p.178.4-1: Section of a floating battery), under 1868
Works included in this catalogue Flaxman (after) Compositions of the Acts of Mercy 1831 {1857} SLV [IB] (8 etchings by Lewis) Lewis (F.) after Lawrence A Lady {1868} NGV [PR] The NGV also holds other engravings by Lewis after both Lawrence and J.M.W.Turner (acquired after 1904). For prints by his son Charles, see Lewis (C.G.).
= Robertson, James (c.1813-88; English) & Beato, Felice (c.1834-1906; Italian/English) Albums of photographs containing their work: Clifford, Robertson & Beato Photographs of Spain, Greece & Turkey {c.1860} SLV [PH] Frith, Robertson & Beato Photographs of Palestine & Egypt {1860} SLV [PH] Robertson trained as an engraver, and was employed as Chief Engraver to the Imperial
Clifford, Charles (c.1819/20-63; Welsh); and Robertson & Beato (active c.1853-67) Photographs of Spain, Greece and Turkey (album) 31 albumen silver photographs Purchased from the Architectural Photographic Association, c. 1860 State Library of Victoria PCLTWEF 4 [H87.119/1-31] One of the albums of photographs acquired for Melbourne in the early 1860s, this is inscribed on the spine
Frith, Francis (1822-98; English); and Robertson & Beato (active c.1853-67) Photographs of Palestine & Egypt (album) 23 albumen silver photographs, various sizes Purchased from the Architectural Photographic Association, 1860 State Library of Victoria LTWEF 11 [H87.116/1-23] This collection comprises 7 large-scale images by Frith (showing sites in Sinai, and the Pyramids at Dahshur, Giza and Saqqara, most
Photographs by Ponti included in this catalogue Alinari (& others) Photographs of Central & Northern Italy {1860-61} SLV [PH] Ponti Photographs of Venice {1860} SLV [PH] Born in Switzerland, Ponti studied in Paris, and then settled in Venice in the early 1850s, working as both an optician and a photographer. He produced numerous views of
Ponti, Carlo (1823-93; Italian) Photographs of Venice (album) 35 albumen silver photographs, various sizes Purchased from the Architectural Photographic Association, 1860 State Library of Victoria PCLTWEF 7 [H87.76/1-35] One of the photographic albums acquired for Melbourne in the early 1860s, this includes views of Venetian architecture and reproductions of several famous Venetian paintings. Plates 1-13,
Alinari (Fratelli Alinari) (est.1852; Italian), & others Photographs of Central & Northern Italy 40 photos, various sizes (album 55.3 x 45 cm) Purchased from the Architectural Photographic Association, 1860-61 State Library of Victoria LTWEF 9 [H87.83/1-40] This album contains a relatively conventional set of views of Florence (nos.1-17), Lucca (18), Monza (19), Pavia (20-21), Pisa
Bisson, Louis-Auguste (1814-76; French) & Bisson, Auguste-Rosalie (1826-1900; French) Albums included in this catalogue Baldus & Bisson frères France and Belgium {1860-61} SLV [PH] Bisson frères Switzerland and America {1860} SLV [PH] Louis-Auguste Bisson was a pioneer of photography, opening his Paris studio in 1841; later, he was joined by his younger brother. Their 1850s-60
Bisson frères: Bisson, Louis-Auguste (1814-76; French) & Bisson, Auguste-Rosalie (1826-1900; French) Switzerland and America (album) 14 albumen silver photographs Purchased, 1860 State Library of Victoria (H87.117/1-14) One of the albums purchased from the Architectural Photographic Association in the early 1860s: see also Baldus & Bisson frères France and Belgium {1860-61} SLV [PH]. This collection includes some
Baldus, Edouard (1813-89; French), and Bisson frères [Bisson, Louis-Auguste (1814-76; French) & Bisson, Auguste-Rosalie (1826-1900; French)] France and Belgium (album) 33 albumen silver photographs, c.68.3 x 47 cm Purchased, 1860-61 State Library of Victoria (H87.83/1-33) One of several albums purchased from the Architectural Photographic Association in the early 1860s, this collection comprised a group of
Summers, Charles (1827-78; English/Australian) Seal of the Victorian Exhibition 1862 Copper, 10 cm diameter Acquired by 1865 Museums Victoria, NU 18367 (transferred from the NGV, March 1976) The work reproduced here is described by Museums Victoria as a pressing of the official seal for the 1862 International Exhibition, London, showing the Colony of Victoria as
Cruikshank, George (1792-1878; English) & Mottram, Charles (1807-76; English) The Worship of Bacchus, or The drinking customs of society… 1864 Engraving with etching, c.55.7 x 98.4 cm irreg. (image) Presented by George P. Ivey, by 1865 Present location unknown Cruikshank made his name with caricatures satirising contemporary society and fashion: see Cruikshank 29 etchings {1899}
Ham, Thomas (1871-70; English/Australian), after Strutt, William (1825-1915; English/Australian) Opening of Prince’s Bridge 1851 (c.2) Engraving, 23 x 35.5 cm (image), 45.3 x 63.7 cm (sheet) Acquired 1868 (probably donated by J.P.Fawkner) State Library of Victoria (H82.288/123) For comments on this composition and the event it commemorates, see Ham (T.) after Strutt Opening of Prince’s
Carmichael, John (1803-57; Scottish/Australian), after Adamson, John (d.1841; Scottish) Melbourne from the South side of the Yarra Yarra 1839 Engraving, 19.5 x 37.4 cm Acquired by 1865 State Library of Victoria (H563) The impression shown here seems likely to be the engraving of “Melbourne in 1839” listed in both NGV 1865 and AR 1870-71, as
Shepherd, Richard (1825-85; English/Australian) Wesley Church, Melbourne (c.1868) Hand-coloured lithograph, 56.7 x 41.4 cm (image) Presented by Joseph Reed, by 1870 State Library of Victoria (H2085) This print was presented by the architect of the Wesley Church (also the principal architect of the first Melbourne Public Library buildings). See also * Willmore (A.) after Gill
Works included in this catalogue * Hymans after Dell’Acqua The Tortoise Merchant {1868} [PR] * Hymans after Induno Popolane di Roma {1868} [PR] Besides being a print-maker, Hymans was also curator of prints at the Bibliothèque royale in Brussels, and a respected art historian. Both lithographs listed above, part of the donation of prints by
Hymans, Henri (1836-1912; Belgian) after Dell’Acqua, Cesare (1821-1905; Italian) The Tortoise Merchant Lithograph Presented by the Belgian Government, 1868 Unidentified; present location unknown Both pre-Felton prints by Hymans (for details, see linked entry) reproduced works by contemporary Italian painters. Dell’Acqua, born in Trieste, moved to Brussels in 1848 and became a successful painter of historical
Maguire, Thomas-Herbert (1821-95; English), after Negelen, Joseph Mathias (1792-1870; Swiss) Sir John Franklin (1837) Lithograph Presented by C.B.Wild, Esq., by 1865 SLV H1525 (“Oval Portrait” no.44) Franklin (1786-1847), famous as an Arctic explorer, joined the navy in 1800, was a crew member on Flinders’ circumnavigation of Australia in the Investigator in 1802, and fought at the
Russell, Robert (1808-1900; English/Australian) Melbourne founded by Sir Richard Bourke 1837 [Melbourne from the Falls, June 30, 1837] Pen & ink drawing Presented by John Pascoe Fawkner, by 1870 (1868?) State Library of Victoria (H4321) AR 1870-71 lists a drawing of “Melbourne from the Falls, 1837” as presented by Fawkner (without naming the artist), together
Volpato, Giovanni (1735-1803; Italian), after Raphael (1483-1520; Italian) The School of Athens Engraving (with key) Presented by the Belgian Government, probably 1868 Present location unknown Unless some confusion had occurred in the records, this appears to have been a second pre-Felton impression of this print: for details and a comparative reproduction, see * Volpato after Raphael
Hart, Walter (details unknown), after Cook, Albert Charles (1836-1902; English/Australian) St Phillip’s Church, East Collingwood 1866 Wood engraving Acquired 1868 State Library of Victoria (?) (IAN27/08/66/12) This print, published in the Australian news for home readers, 27 August 1866, shows the recently-constructed Gothic Revival church designed by Lloyd Taylor (1830-1900). The church was later destroyed
Unknown artist/s Exhibition Building, Sussex Vale, Province of New Brunswick 1861 Lithograph Acquired 1868 Location unknown This print, listed in the NGV’s unpublished list of acquisitions, under 1868, showed one of several structures erected in the Canadian province of New Brunswick during the second half of the 19th century, in emulation of London’s Crystal Palace.
[photo: View of Melbourne’s casts in 1872 (1 of 2 albumen silver photographs): detail (SLV H96.160/1789)] Introduction to Melbourne’s former plaster cast collection The production of replicas of famous statues, already widespread in the ancient Roman period, became a global phenomenon after 1850, with the availability of cheaper, good quality plaster casts. These were produced
[above: Reproduction of the list in AR 1870-71, pp.28-29, detailing Murphy’s donation] As mentioned, many of the casts originally selected for their general aesthetic and/or historical value to the Melbourne Public Library obviously came to be regarded increasingly as Gallery School assets, as the century progressed. Indeed, several groups of casts were clearly intended
[photo: Queen’s Reading Room, MPL, looking north (SLV H4740, accredited to Sears’ Studios, c.1910)] The initial group of casts ordered for Melbourne from Brucciani included “48 Busts of remarkable persons selected not for their artistic value, but for the celebrity of the persons represented”: see letter of 26 October 1860 from R.Chester Waters to Redmond
[photo: detail of one of Nettleton’s 1872 overviews of Melbourne’s cast collection (SLV H96.160/1790)] Casts are listed alphabetically by title, as they were in Melbourne’s early catalogues (1865 etc.). Dates of acquisition, e.g. {c.1860}, apply to the casts, which were purchased unless specified as donations (for details of individual donors, see Casts – Donors).
Most of Melbourne’s plaster casts were purchased from government funding for the MPL, especially in the early years of the formation of the art collection (1860-63). However, Redmond Barry also went to considerable pains during the same period to solicit donations from various individuals. These included a number of wealthy and/or prominent individuals, both in
The early engravings and photographs of Melbourne’s plaster casts, listed below, provide valuable information on the changing location and arrangement of the collection, as well as helping with identification of individual casts. Nos.1-3 document their initial exhibition in the first MPL building in the 1860s. Nos.4-8 and 10 show the casts in the Sculpture Gallery
[photo: detail of photograph of Picture Gallery, MPL, 1872 (SLV H96.160/1793)] Before Felton is an evolving rather than static record of the rich array of visual material acquired for the Melbourne collection prior to 1905. Taking advantage of the online format, corrections and new entries are added as new information becomes available. Visitors are