Hordern House

ANGAS, George French South Australia Illustrated. London, Thomas M’Lean, 1847

Large folio, with handcoloured pictorial title-page and 60 handcoloured plates; some slight spotting and ageing, but essentially a very good copy in 19th-century half dark purple morocco gilt, spine rubbed, edges gilt and gauffred.

One of the finest Australian illustrated books.

George French Angas came to South Australia at the behest of his father, who had established the South Australian Company in 1836. On his arrival in 1844, Angas began his extensive travels throughout South Australia, travelling through the Mount Lofty Ranges to the Murray River and down to Lake Coorong, sketching the countryside, native animals and the customs and dwellings of the Narrinyeri people. Within months he joined George Grey - then the governor of South Australia - as unofficial artist on his expeditions to the southeast. The colony was just eight years old and its natural beauty was faithfully sketched and recorded by this gifted young man.

Angas produced some of the most beautiful illustrated books of the period. The finely handcoloured lithographic illustrations in South Australia Illustrated are based on his original watercolour drawings. These drawings were highly acclaimed when they were exhibited at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, and in the accompanying advertisement Angas described the paintings as 'entirely executed on the spot, from Life and Nature' and claimed they represented 'the Natives, with their Manners and Customs, and the Picturesque Scenery... with unexaggerated truth and fidelity' (Tregenza, George French Angas). Angas' particular style in depicting scenes of town and bush is instantly recognisable; his sympathetic and knowledgeable observations of the Aborigines and his portrayal of the flora and fauna offer an outstanding romantic interpretation of the Australian landscape.

George French Angas' greatest achievement, this is without doubt one of the most famous and most desirable of Australian colourplate books. Good copies are rare today.
Ferguson, 4458; Tooley, 62; Wantrup, 237.

$A28500

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