Mount Kiera, New South Wales engraving. Skinner Prout c1874.

by Prout, John Skinner

Antique print with Palm Trees at Mt Kiera near Wollongong about 70k west of Sydney. Engraving c1874.

Original steel engraving by Arthur Willmore from a watercolour by John Skinner Prout (1806-1876) for Edwin Carton Booth's Australia, illustrated with engravings from drawings by eminent English topographical artists, Skinner Prout, Nicholas Chevalier, James Charles (J.C.) Armytage and others" published in England circa 1874 by Virtue & Company.

Many of the finest antique engravings for Australia Illustrated were engraved from mirror images of Skinner Prout's fine sketches. 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 is not a good scan! This engraving is in good condition, with fine later hand-colour. They are definitely not heavy lines as shown in this scan. There are wide margins, as published. Page size is 270 x 210mm. (approx 8 1/2 x 10 5/8 inches). Image: 180 x 130mm (7 x 5 1/8 inches).