New Holland Creeper, Female. Engraved after Sarah Stone c1790

by Sarah Stone

New Holland Honeyeater, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae (previously Certhia novaehollandiae). This beautiful illustration has the accompanying text - on the reverse of which is a list of First Fleet "Deaths between December 1786 and July 1788. On the Paffage (Passage), After the Landing, and Executed, Condemned to death by the court, but pardoned by the Governor, and Miffing (Missing)."

Original copperplate engraving c1789 (later colour) after Sarah Stone for Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales by Surgeon-General to the First Fleet and Settlement, John White. A capable amateur naturalist, White's compiled information on the colony's flora and fauna was published in London in 1789-1790.

The daughter of a professional fan painter, Sarah Stone (1760-1844) married naval officer John Langland Smith in 1789. The "celebrated Miss Stone" worked as a natural history illustrator in England between 1777 and 1820. Prominent 18th century collectors, including Sir Joseph Banks and Sir Ashton Lever, commissioned her to prepare watercoloured drawings of animals and birds, from skins, specimens, artifacts and drawings that were sent to England from early voyages of exploration. Sarah Stone illustrations were often the first to be seen of new discoveries from around the world. Copperplate engravings were also made from Sarah Stone watercolours to illustrate the Voyages of Captain James Cook. Some of her watercolours are now in the Australian Museum in Sydney and in the Bishop Museum in Honolulu. As “Miss Stone, Honorary Exhibitor” she exhibited four paintings of birds and shells at the Royal Academy in 1781 and 1786.

Early Australian Honeyeater engraving, accompanied by its letterpress - with historic text of First Fleet deaths on reverse.
There is a faint margin bend at top left. Size of page is 280mm x 215mm (11 inches x 8.1/2 inches). To plate mark measures 230 x 180mm (9 x 7 inches).