The Wallis Album (ca.1817-1818): Aboriginal People of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie in European Colonial Art

Wallis Album 001 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW) FRONT COVER Three hand-coloured engravings, laid down, of a pair of kangaroos; pair of black swans; and platypus. With the exception of the platypus, the cover images are from Wallis’ ‘Australian Views…’ (1820) and ‘An Historical Account of the colony of New South Wales…’ (1821).

All descriptions by the State Library of NSW.
http://archival.sl.nsw.gov.au/Details/archive/110365989

Album of original drawings by Captain James Wallis and Joseph Lycett, ca. 1817-1818, bound with ‘An Historical account of the Colony of New South Wales and its Dependent Settlements; in Illustration of Twelve Views Engraved by W. Preston, A Convict; From Drawings taken on the Spot, by Captain Wallis, of the Forty-Sixth Regiment, To Which is Subjoined An Accurate Map of Port Macquarie, and the Newly Discovered River Hastings’, by J. Oxley, Esq., Surveyor General To The Territory, London: Printed For R. Ackermann, Repository Of Arts, Strand, by J. Moyes, Greville Street, 1821. See: http://archival.sl.nsw.gov.au/Details/archive/110365989

FRONT ENDPAPERS
Four pen and ink drawings, possibly created using a Camera Lucida, laid down on endpapers.

Wallis Album 002 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW) Pastedown endpaper: [Top]
[View of twin waterfalls and wooded landscape], 25th July 1818 / [probably by James Wallis after G.W. Evans].
Relates to plate ‘Bathurst’s Falls, Drawn by Major Taylor from a Sketch by Mr. Evans’, in John Oxley’s ‘Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales, undertaken by Order of the British Government in the Years 1817-1818’. London: John Murray, 1820, between pp. 300-301. The plates in Oxley’s ‘Journals …’ are believed to be after drawings made by G.W. Evans, and prepared for publication by Major Taylor. [Bottom]
West Prospect from View Hill, Interior N. Holland, August 27th 1818 / [probably by James Wallis after G.W. Evans].

Paste-down endpaper includes binder’s label at top left inscribed `John Mylrea / Bookseller Stationer & / Bookbinder / Duke Street Douglas’.

Wallis Album 003 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW) Free endpaper: [Top] East View of Arbuthnots Range, Interior N. Holland, July 16th 1818 / [probably by James Wallis after G.W. Evans]. Relates to Arbuthnot’s Range, the Acacia Pendula in the foreground, New South Wales, 1824 (SV1B / Arb Ra / 1). [Bottom] South West Prospect from View Hill, interior New South Wales, August 28th 1818 / [probably by James Wallis after G.W. Evans]. Relates to plate `Liverpool Plains. West Prospect from View Hill, Drawn by Major Taylor from a Sketch by Mr. Evans’, in Oxley’s ‘Journals…’ (1820), between pp. 274-275.

FRONT FLYLEAVES (10 pages)
Three pen and ink drawings, possibly created using a Camera Lucida ; one engraving; and twenty mainly natural history watercolour and collage drawings. Laid down on flyleaves.

Wallis Album 004 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW) [1a.] Cascade interior N. Holland, July 17th 1818 / [probably by James Wallis after G.W. Evans] Pen and ink drawing [1b.] Port Macquarie N. Holland, October 11th 1818 / [probably by James Wallis after G.W. Evans] Pen and ink drawing

Wallis Album 005 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW) [2a.] View of Newcastle. New South Wales / Engrav’d by W. Preston from a Drawing by Captn. Wallis, 46th Regt. Engraving Not included in either the Sydney or London editions of Wallis’ volume of engravings. [2b.] Wallis Lake near Cape Hawke, N. Holland, October 27th 1818 / [probably by James Wallis after G.W. Evans]. Pen and ink drawing

Wallis Album 006 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW) [3a.] Patersonia Species / by Joseph Lycett Watercolour [3b.] Stiledia Gracilus N. South Wales / by Joseph Lycett Watercolour and collage. Includes inscription in the hand of Wallis ‘Philedia Glasisi, N. South Wales’ and `Simply to be with those whom we love is sufficient. For whether … we may be wandering from them or whether we are talking … or not talking to them thinking of them … as we are with the we are satisfied’. [3c.] Baurea Species / by Joseph Lycett Watercolour. [3d.] [Untitled botanical drawing] / by Joseph Lycett Watercolour. Inscribed in pencil below items 3a-3d. `The flowers by Lycatt [sic] a Convict’.

Wallis Album 007 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW) [4a.] Native Coherry, [obscured] Hunters River N.S. Wales
Watercolour and collage. [4b.] Native Rose, New South Wales, Borronea Serrulata / Lycett. Watercolour and collage. [4c.] [Untitled drawing of a hawk] . Watercolour and collage

Wallis Album 008 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [5.] Eight mostly untitled watercolour drawings, some with collage, including two titled : ‘Hypericum species’ and `Polygala Species’.

Wallis Album 009 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [6.] [Untitled drawing possibly of a Magpie Goose]. Watercolour

Wallis Album 010 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [7.] 2 Natives of New South Wales. Dick killed Burigon one day with one [underlined] blow. Titled below drawings and inscription in ink in Wallis’ hand. Portrait drawings of the Awabakal brothers. At top is pencil portrait titled ‘Burigon or Jack’ showing right profile. At bottom is watercolour portrait titled ‘Dick’, showing head and upper torso. Portraits flanked by two botanical drawings titled `Tetrabatica’ and `Zeianthimum’. Watercolour and collage Inscribed below drawings in ink in Wallis’ hand ‘Nature in a sportive humour or a contrast between Animal and vegetable Life in New South Wales. The former hideous disgusting and barbarous, the latter graceful modest and gratifying to the senses, the Aborigines of New South Wales are the most perfect savages in existence. The wild flowers exceed beauty and variety those of any other parts of the world, from the gigantic lily, towering twelve feet from its root, to the modest violet’. Relates to the manuscript folio describing Dick and Burigon at PXD 1008 / vol 1.

Wallis Album 011 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [8.] [Giant Swamp Lily] Watercolour

Wallis Album 012 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [9.] The Fish of New South Wales / [drawn by Joseph Lycett]
Watercolour and collage. Shows ten freshly caught fish. Some species identified by inscription in black ink below fish, including ‘Taylor’; ‘Soldier’; ‘Rock Cod’; ‘Bull Rout’; ‘Old Wife’; ‘John Dory’; ‘Fortescue’; and some others. Relates to fish panels on the two Newcastle Collector’s Chests at DG R4 and XR 69.

Wallis Album 013 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [10.] Blandfordia Nobilis / [drawn by Joseph Lycett]. Watercolour

Wallis Album 014 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). PUBLISHED TEXTBLOCK ‘An Historical account of the colony of New South Wales…’ London: Printed For R. Ackermann, Repository Of Arts, Strand, by J. Moyes, Greville Street, 1821. [i-vi] pp. 2-42 [p. 43], followed by twelve published engravings.

Title page inscribed in ink `Mary Ann Wallis / The Gift of her dear Husband / Major James Wallis / late of H.M. 46th Regt. / Prestbury / May 1857’ (at top right); and ‘This Book presented to her / Nephew Lt Colonel A. Tayler / by his Aunt Mary Ann Wallis / 10th Febry 1866’ (at top left). Alexander Tayler was the son of Wallis’ sister, Ann (b. ca. 1796) and her husband Alexander Tayler.

Wallis Album 015 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). Dedication page, `To The Public’, includes two pen and ink drawings, laid down, titled : [Top] `View of Part of Newcastle, N. S. Wales’ – relates to the first group of paintings in the two Newcastle Collector’s Chests depicting Newcastle with Christ Church, and a pair of pelicans (DG R4 and XR 69) [Bottom] `View on Throsby’s Creek, near Newcastle, N. S. Wales.’ (bottom) – relates to the first group of paintings in the Newcastle Collector’s Chests depicting Newcastle with Christ Church, and a pair of egrets (DG R4 and XR 69).

The published edition of Captain James Wallis’ An historical account of the colony of New South Wales and its dependent settlements : in illustration of twelve views, engraved by W. Preston from drawings taken on the spot by Captain Wallis. To which is subjoined An accurate map of Port Macquarie and the newly discovered River Hastings by J. Oxley. London : Printed for R. Ackermann by J. Moyes, 1821. View on UONCC Flickr here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/albums/72157622518218701

BACK FLYLEAVES (10 pages)
Six original, unsigned drawings by Joseph Lycett, and four original, unsigned drawings by James Wallis. Laid down on flyleaves.
With minor variations, five of the six drawings by Lycett are for plates published in Wallis’ ‘Australian views…’ (1820) and ‘An Historical account of the colony of New South Wales …’ (1821).

Wallis Album 016 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [1.] [A View of the Cove and Part of Sydney, New South Wales, taken from Dawe’s Point, ca. 1818 / by Joseph Lycett] . Watercolour. Inscribed lower centre in ink `Drawn by a Convict.’ Untitled original drawing for Plate 1 of Wallis’ ‘An Historical account of the colony of New South Wales … (1821)

Wallis Album 017 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [2.] [Vaucluse Bay, Port Jackson, New South Wales, ca. 1818 / by Joseph Lycett] . Watercolour . Inscribed lower centre in ink `Drawn by a Convict.’ Untitled original drawing for Plate 11 of Wallis’ ‘An Historical account of the colony of New South Wales …’ (1821)

Wallis Album 018 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [3.] [View of Sydney, looking towards old Barrack Square, ca. 1818 / by Joseph Lycett]. Watercolour. Inscribed lower centre in ink `Drawn by a Convict.’ This view was not published in Wallis’ ‘Australian Views…’ (1820), or ‘An Historical account of the colony of New South Wales…’ (1821).

Wallis Album 019 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [4.] [View of Awabakal Aboriginal people, ca. 1818 / by James Wallis]. Watercolour and collage . Shows four cut out drawings of five seated Aboriginal people, including a man and a woman; a man wearing a British military jacket; a woman; and another man, against a coastal background.

Wallis Album 020 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [5.] [North and South Head’s in Port Jackson, New South Wales, ca. 1818 / by Joseph Lycett]. Watercolour. Untitled original drawing for Plate 10 of Wallis’ ‘An Historical account of the colony of New South Wales…’ (1821).

Wallis Album 021 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [6.] [View of Awabakal Aboriginal people, ca. 1818 / by James Wallis]. Watercolour and collage. Shows six cut out drawings of seven seated or standing Aboriginal people.

Wallis Album 022 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [7.] [Sydney from Darlinghurst, ca. 1818 / by Joseph Lycett]
Watercolour. Inscribed lower centre in ink `Drawn by a Convict.’ This view was not published in Wallis’ ‘Australian Views…’ (1820), or ‘An Historical account of the colony of New South Wales…’ (1821).

Wallis Album 023 (Courtesy of the State Library of NSW). [8.] [View of Awabakal Aboriginal people, with beach and river inlet, and distant Aboriginal group in background, ca. 1818 / by James Wallis]. Watercolour and collage. Shows two cut out drawings of five seated Aboriginal people (foreground).

The painting above of “View of Awabakal Aboriginal people, with beach and river inlet, and distant Aboriginal group in background , ca. 1818” appears to be the same location as that of the sketch of Wallis Lake near Cape Hawke at Forster. I’ve added a few screenshots from the location in Google earth, with an overlay of Dangar’s 1828 map. See: Wallis Lake near Cape Hawke