Watercolour drawing of Mena Bend Base Camp, 1948 ; Photograph album of New Guinea, 1948 / Jan van Sommers -- Drawing, 1950 / Eric Thake

XV/154
PXA 2038

fonds

1948

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Watercolours, Photographs, Prints

1023515

1 drawing - watercolour - 57 x 77 cm
1 drawing - white ink - 22 x 28 cm
30 photographic prints (1 album) - gelatin silver, sepia tone - 9 x 13.9 cm or smaller<br>
1 print - photo-lithograph - 19.8 x 25.5 cm
6 p. - photocopy, illustrations

Raymond van Sommers was born Jan van Sommers in 1928.

During 1948-49 he worked as a surveyor with the Australasian Petroleum Company (APC) in Papua New Guinea.

His first geophysical survey with APC was in upper Purari River area; the second was in the upper Mena River area in PNG where this drawing of their base camp was made.

His autobiographical book, A life in Subud / Raymond van Sommers. Northbridge, N.S.W. : Dawn Books, 2003 records this period of his working life in PNG.

XV / 154
Watercolour drawing of Mena Bend Base Camp, 1948
Includes dynamite store, laundry, native food stores, native quarters, European store, office, office, mess, kitchen, workshop, hospital.
A small figure in the centre of the drawing, labelled Junior Jan, probably depicts the artist.

PXA 2038
Photograph album of New Guinea, 1948
Includes photographs of Port Moresby, Jan van Sommers, Mena Base Camp, Purari and Mena River, surveying, Papuans, flying boat VH-AZO, ceremonies, canoes, deforestation

Print of an aerial photograph of Kaimari Village, Gulf Province, 1922 / by Frank Hurley

Photocopies of A life in Subud / Raymond van Sommers. Northbridge, N.S.W. : Dawn Books, 2003, pages 25-31

Drawing, 1950 / Eric Thake
Stylised drawing of a crocodile stalking a surveyor

Copyright status:: In copyright - Life of artist plus 70 years (XV / 154)
Copyright status:: In copyright - Life of artist plus 70 years (Eric Thake drawing)
Out of copyright: Created before 1955 (PXA 2038)
Copyright holder:: Assigned to Library Council of New South Wales
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy Raymond van Sommers

Photographs removed from the original "sticky" album, which is kept with the collection