Item #4005788 Terre de Diemén. Grou-agara. BAUDIN, Nicolas-Martin PETIT.

Terre de Diemén. Grou-agara.

Paris: circa 1807.

Engraved portrait, 315 x 240 mm. (plate size).

Grou-agara, from the D'Entrecasteaux Channel

A striking portrait of the Tasmanian man Grou-Agara by Petit prepared for the atlas volume of the first edition of the official account of the Baudin voyage.

A striking portrait of the Tasmanian man Grou-Agara by Petit prepared for the atlas volume of the first edition of the official account of the Baudin voyage.

The two ships of the expedition had anchored in d'Entrecasteaux Channel on 13 January 1802 after two months at sea; Frank Horner has called the time that followed 'two of the most productive months the expedition was to enjoy' (The French Reconnaissance, p. 191). Their easy and friendly relations with the aboriginal tribes of the region had brought great satisfaction to the French, and they maintained a good rapport throughout their stay. Petit, in particular, was very busy with his sketch book, and his series of portraits and scenes are among the most sensitive portrayals of Tasmanian aborigines - in fact, together with the handful of portraits in the official account of Cook's third voyage, these portraits are the earliest major study of the Tasmanians.

The table of contents simply notes that this man was from Van Diemen's Land.

Bonnemains, Forsyth & Smith, 20007.4.

Condition Report: Slight marginal browning, very good condition.

Price (AUD): $1,500.00

US$977.35   Other currencies

Ref: #4005788

Condition Report