[BROWN, J.E.] FIVEASH, Rosa and Harcourt BARRETT

Bursaria spinosa [Sweet Bursaria]

Adelaide, E. Spiller, Government Printer, [1880s].

Sheet size 562 × 435 mm, printed surface approximately 463 × 340 mm.

A couple of tiny marks; a few short tears at the edges (well clear of the printed surface and easily matted out); in excellent condition.

An original large-format chromolithograph from John Ednie Brown's 'Forest Flora of South Australia' (1882-1890), numbered 27 at the bottom right-hand corner of the sheet, and initialled in the image 'R.C.F.' (Rosa Catherine Fiveash).

From soon after publication Harcourt Barrett was confronted with a popular conception that Rosa Fiveash was wholly or principally responsible for the plates as published. Eventually, enough became too much ... 'The entire work, as issued from the Government Printing Office, consisted of nine parts, each part containing five plates, making a total of forty-five plates. Of these forty-five plates, Miss Fiveash only supplied thirty-two drawings in watercolour of the centre or main branch only. Miss Camilla Hammond sketched the Banksia Ornata, and Mrs Smart sketched the native cherry, and it was from these sketches that the drawings upon stone were made. The remaining eleven plates and title page, together with all the additional work, consisting of the various woods, barks, seed-vessels, botanical sections, and details of the flowers, were drawn direct upon the stones from photos and natural specimens wholly and solely by me during the time I held the position of Chief Lithographer at the Government Printing Office. And, further, I may state that not only did I make the drawings, which consisted of forty-five outlines and 400 colour-stones, but was held responsible by Mr Brown for their proper reproduction in all their natural colours, a matter in which he was very particular' ('Evening Journal', 23 April 1900).

Item #127197

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