Sydney Heads, from the south. Hand-coloured antique engraving c1886

$95.00

Sydney Heads and the Lighthouse. 19thC antique print.

Original wood engraving from a drawing by New York-born artist Frederick B. Schell (1838-1905), from his travels around Australia for The Picturesque Atlas Publishing Company. Leading artists and topographical engravers were commissioned, and Frederick Schell was appointed as Art Director to compile illustrations for Picturesque Atlas of Australasia, published in Sydney between 1886 and 1888 to commemorate 100 years since First Fleet settlement at Sydney Cove, to provide a graphic record of development since that time.

Over 700 illustrations were carved (in reverse) from drawings and sketches. Most of the engravings were carved and printed from blocks of wood, but some combined the skilled art of mezzotint with steel engraving. Some engraved views were surrounded by a lithographic border of complimentary subjects. The illustrations were some of the finest engravings produced anywhere in the world in the late 19th century. The majority were not full page, so were surrounded by text, but they have still been collected, hand-coloured and framed for ongoing enjoyment – particularly the larger ones. 

This is a lovely antique print with later fine hand-colour. The measurement to the black border is 28 x 18cm (11 x 7 inches). The page has been clipped to 34 x 21cm (approximately 13.5 x 9.5 inches).