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Details



Print
61014
  • Title
    Series 02: Drawings by Johnny the Aboriginal artist, Kangatong Station, 1855
  • Call number
    PXA 606
  • Level of description
    series
  • Date

    1855
  • Type of material
  • Reference code
    61014
  • Issue Copy
    Digitised
  • Physical Description
    5 drawings - pencil, ink and watercolour drawings on 3 sheets - 25.3 x 20.4 cm. ; 20.2 x 25.3 cm. ; 18.3 x 20.2 cm.
  • ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

    Artist Eugene von Guerard (1811-1901) visited Kangatong Station the property of James Dawson to paint a picture of Tower Hill in 1855. During his stay von Guerard met Johnny, an Aboriginal youth, aged about fourteen or fifteen. Johnny was probably Johnny Dawson (known by the name of his employer), born about 1842. Johnny worked as stock-keeper on Kangatong. He died at Framlingham in 1883.

    Reference:
    Aboriginal artists of the nineteenth century / Andrew Sayers ; with a foreword by Lin Onus and a chapter by Carol Cooper. Melbourne : Oxford University Press in association with the National Gallery of Australia, 1994.
  • Scope and Content
    1. [Women with parasol]

    1 verso. [European man in uniform and European man with a gun]
    Inscribed "Drawing from Black Johnny / Kangatong 1855" in ink

    2. [European soldier ; Aboriginal man in landscape]
    Inscribed "Burrumbeep / Streatham [?]"; "Black Johnny Kangatong / August 1855." in ink

    2 verso. [European couple and horse ; Horserace]

    3. [Portrait of von Guerard sketching]
    Inscribed "Mein Portrait / v[on] / dem Eingeborenen - Black Johnny Kangatong August. 1855" in ink
  • Copying Conditions
    Out of copyright: Artist died before 1955
    Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
  • General note

    These drawings were originally part of:
    Australien Reminisunzen: a collection of illustrations of Australian Aborigines and their weapons, together with geographical profiles in N.S.W., Tasmania and Victoria, and miscellaneous prints, ca. 1846-1858 / Eugene von Guerard (PXA 54)

    This collection was in a folder labelled in ink on one side 'Australien' and on the other side in pencil 'Australien drawings / E.v.G / 3 by Black Johny / 2 original drawings by Sir Thomas Mitchell'.
    The folder, formerly classified at Q741 was relocated to Mitchell Library Drawer 24 (Aborigines) and later transferred to PXA 54.
    The drawings by Black Johnny, 1855 were relocated to Mitchell Library Drawer 17 (Sketches) and transferred to PXA 606 in 1993.

    PXA 606/3 is probably a portrait of artist Eugen von Guerard.
    According to Andrew Sayers (1993), Curator of Australian Drawing at National Gallery of Australia, von Guerard visited Kangatong station in 1855.

    In his sketchbook at location number DGB 16/vol. 3/77 is a drawing inscribed "Johnny the Artist Kangatong 8 Aug. 1855". In German at bottom left of drawing is inscribed "My portrait by a native" in a hand similar to von Guerard's.
    Digital order no:Album ID : 823855
  • Creator/Author/Artist
  • Subject
  • Exhibited in

    Aboriginal Artists of the 19th Century - National Gallery of Australia (15 October, 1994 - 18 July, 1995)
    Australian Portraits Timeline - National Portrait Gallery (Australia) (December 2008 - December 2011). Applies to: PXA 606/3
    Eugene von Guerard : nature revealed - Ian Potter Centre, National Gallery of Victoria (April 2011 - August 2011). Applies to: PXA 606/3
    Far Out Tours 2013 - Applies to: no. 1
    Far Out Tours 2014 - State Library of New South Wales (February 2014 - June 2014). Applies to : No. 1
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