The John Hunter Address Book

📖 The Scoop

A naval officer, naturalist and draughtsman, John Hunter was born in Scotland. He came to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 as second captain of HMS Sirius, under the command of Arthur Phillip. Reaching Botany Bay, Hunter surveyed the area with Philip, before deciding on Port Jackson as a more suitable site to land. He was appointed second governor of the colony of New South Wales in 1795. Hunter's personal sketchbooks from his time in Australia a filled with colourful and appealing drawings of the birds, animals and flowers of New South Wales and of Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands. They are among the earliest colonial impressions of Australia. Humorous and even quirky at times, Hunter's drawings, which make up the body of the sketchbook, provide both an artist's view of the world around him and a documentation of the flora and fauna of early colonial Australia. Hunter's sketches also offer an intriguing attempt to represent a natural world that had no existing visual tradition within British and European culture. Considered a compassionate man, Hunter's association with the new colony was fraught with difficulty and rebellion. His governorship ended when he was recalled to England in 1800. Featuring the sketches from Captain John Hunter's sketchbook, the John Hunter Address Book showcases what is regarded as one of the most remarkable treasures among the National Library of Australia collections.

Genre: Art / General (fancy, right?)