Important Colonial Art in the Colony of New South Wales
Paintings, Water Colours, Drawings, Etchings, Lithographs
From the earliest years of the colony, watercolours, drawings and etchings recorded Sydney’s buildings and people for distant audiences. John Eyre’s topographical views of First Government House and the town, together with a pencil portrait of William Bligh, stand among the important early colonial works held in major library collections. This post presents those works with their catalogue references as given on the page.
1. First Government House, Sydney, c.1807 — watercolour by John Eyre (ML SV/31)
First Government House, Sydney, c.1807 — watercolour by John Eyre (ML SV/31).
John Eyre
John Eyre was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. When he was 13 he was apprenticed to his father who was a wool comber and weaver, and became a Coventry freeman in August 1792.
On 23rd March 1799, John Eyre was sentenced to transportation for 7 years for housebreaking, and he finally reached the colony of Sydney in the transport called "Canada" in December 1801.
He was granted a conditional pardon on 4th June 1804, and a month later he advertised that he would buy a box of watercolours. His first drawings were done around 1807.
Eyre seemed to make a fairly reasonable living in the new colony. In 1811 he was engaged to paint numbers on all the buildings on the eastern side of the Tank Stream at a sixpence a time, and in February 1812 he received 12 pounds for painting the Constable Staffs Office.
The records give no real clues to Eyre's character. Nothing is known of him after he left Sydney. He was essentially a topographical illustrator, and his work was very competent, and done with precision.
2. A West View of Sydney in New South Wales (detail), c.1809 — watercolour attributed to John Eyre (DL Pg50)
A West View of Sydney in New South Wales (detail), c.1809 — watercolour attributed to John Eyre (DL Pg50).
3. William Bligh, 20 November 1805 — pencil drawing by Henry Ashton Barker (ML MIN 351)
William Bligh, 20 November 1805 — pencil drawing by Henry Ashton Barker (ML MIN 351).