Hobart, from Kangaroo Point towards Mt. Wellington c1886.

by Schell, Frederick B.

Finely coloured antique print of Hobart in c1886.

Original wood engraving by Held after a drawing by Frederick Schell for Picturesque Atlas of Australasia, published between 1886 and 1888 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of First Fleet settlement in Sydney in 1788. This engraving has fine later hand-colour.

A New York illustrator with Harper's Weekly, Frederick Schell (1838-1902) was appointed chief-of-staff  of The Picturesque Atlas Publishing Company which was registered with the specific aim of publishing this grand work. Schell commissioned leading artists to illustrate the discovery, settlement and development of Australia and adjacent Pacific countries. He also provided many of the sketches for the wood engravings. Over 700 engravings, mostly from wood but also some from steel plates, were carved (in reverse). The majority of the engravings were surrounded by text, but more important scenes like this lovely one of Hobart were full page without printing on the reverse. Some fine portraits combined the skilled art of mezzotint with steel engraving. Other full page engraved views featured a lithographic border composed of Australian flora. The illustrations were some of the finest engravings produced anywhere in the world in the late 19th century.

Full page size was around 45 x 34cm (17.5 x 13.5 inches). Engraving size 175 x 275mm (6 7/8 x 10 1/2 inches).