On the Plenty, near Melbourne. Skinner Prout c1874.

by Booth, Edwin Carton

Antique Print of the Plenty River near Melbourne c1874. The Plenty River joins the Yarra River near Viewbank, the site of one of the earliest pastoral settlements in the Yarra Valley near Melbourne.

Fine original steel engraving by J.B. Allen, after a drawing by prominent English landscape artist and engraver John Skinner Prout (1805-1876)  for Edwin Carton Booth's Australia, Illustrated, with Drawings by Skinner Prout, Chevalier, Armytage and others, published in London circa 1874 by Virtue & Co. This finely engraved series of historic views of Australia are wonderful records of colonial days in Australia.

Skinner Prout was born in Plymouth, England, and in 1840 arrived in Sydney with his wife, their seven children, and a complete lithographic printing press. The following year he drew and lithographed views of Sydney. In January 1844 Prout moved to Hobart and drew Hobart and the surrounding areas for a series of lithographs. He went on many sketching trips throughout New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria, assisting sketching clubs with organizing the trips and often accompanying them. Prout and his family returned to England in April 1848.

This is a finely engraved antique print, as published, uncoloured, with wide margins. It is in fine condition despite the faint soiling of the page extremities. Page: 210 x 270mm (8 1/4 x 10 5/8 inches). Image: 121 x 180mm (approx. 4 3/4 x 7 inches).