Harpers Hill, Hunter River with Sheep grazing. Engraving c1874.

by Prout, John Skinner

Lovely antique print of black-faced sheep grazing on Harpers Hill above the Hunter River, north of Sydney.

Original steel engraving by H. Bibby after the sketch by prominent English landscape artist and engraver Skinner Prout (1806-1876) for Edwin Carton Booth’s “Australia Illustrated” published in London circa 1874 by Virtue and Company.

Skinner Prout was a principal artist for Australia Illustrated. The engravings were made from mirror images of Skinner Prout's drawings. Skinner Prout was born on 19 December 1805 at Plymouth in England. On 14 December 1840 he arrived in Sydney with his wife and seven children. He brought a complete lithographic printing press with him, and in early 1841 he started producing lithographed versions of his drawings of Sydney. In January 1844 Prout moved to Hobart and commenced drawing Hobart and its environs for a series of lithographs. Skinner Prout went on many sketching trips throughout New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria, often accompanying sketching clubs that he helped to organize. Prout and his family returned to England in April 1848.

This engraving is in very good condition with fine later hand-colour. External paper size: 210 x 270mm (8 1/4 x 10 5/8 inches). Image: 120 x 188mm (4 7/8 x 7 7/8 inches).