Angas, South Australia Illustrated, Mount Gambier, and one of its Volcanic Lakes (After Sunset), Blue Lake, Mt. Schank, Giclee

Archival limited edition giclee print ( /300) after Plate 17 of the original hand colored lithograph by J.W. Giles and artist George French Angas for his ambitious publication "South Australia Illustrated". (See alsoPlate 34 "Devils Punch Bowl, near Mount Schank”)

Originally published in London between 1846 - 47, the hand coloured lithographic prints were sold to 200 subscribers, eager to see what this brave British prototype freely-settled colony had to offer after a decade of settlement. How many of those 200 original hand colored lithographs still exist has prompted issuing this high quality light-safe inkjet process printed on cotton conservation paper.

 Accompanying text in "South Australia Illustrated": “About Nine Miles from Mount Schank…are the extinct Craters of Mount Gambier, containing several volcanic lakes, enclosed with abrupt walls of lava. The hollows or fraters are three in number…the third and easternmost, is entirely occupied by a lake of unknown depth, that looks fearfully dark and gloomy…the accompanying sketch is taken looking across the last mentioned lake, towards the principal crater…”

Size of Image= 24.6 x 33.8 cm (9 2/3 x 13 1/3 inch)

Issued with Certificate /300

George French Angas: George French Angas was the son of London Financier George Fife Angas. He declined the opportunity to join the family firm being determined to follow his artistic nature. He ventured to the new Colony of South Australia in 1842 that his Baptist father had invested in by creating the South Australia Company. George French set about recording its wonders through commissions & offering his artist abilities to explorers. In 1844 the new Governor, Sir George Grey, ventured to the South East to Mount Gambier. The opportunity as expedition artist afforded the idea opportunity to record the incredible volcanic craters and elevation recorded by the Deputy Surveyor General also on the venture, Thomas Burr. All these opportunities were eventually a source for the 60 paintings that were sent back to his London publisher to be lithographed for "South Australia Illustrated". Both the crater lakes, Devil's Punch Bowl..." and "Mount Gambier..."  are used as sketches in the Governor's South East Expedition in 1844.

Mt Schank was first sighted by James Grant on 3 Dec 1800. It was names after Admiral John Schank who designed Grant’s Ship, HMS Lady Nelson. We now know that The South East is the youngest volcanic field in Australia, active approximately 5000 years ago.