Description
This rare engraving is from the original edition of the Illustrated Australian News published by The Age
, an illustrated newspaper which was published in Melbourne from
1876-1889. It was issued on a monthly basis and included a number of
high quality engravings to illustrate the news and article. The reason
it was issued on a monthly basis was due to the time consuming process
of engraving the illustrations which would take one engraver between
one and two weeks to make each engraving. This is also coincided with
the monthly shipping of mail to England.
The engravings provided a unique glimpse into colonial life, often
depicting situations or scenes that were less than flattering, in
contrast to the majority of sanctioned views that provided a sanitized
portrayal of life in Australia. Increasingly expensive to produce, the
few illustrated newspapers that made use of original engravings for
their illustrations, and that survived the economic collapse of the late
1880’s found themselves competing against the new technology of
photographically produced half-tone and lino type processes. By the turn
of the century most had disappeared. Many famous Australian colonial
artists were employed such as Julian Ashton, Albert Cooke, Oswald Rose
Campbell, Alfred James Daplyn, Samuel Calvert and Elizier Levi
Montefiore.
Many famous Australian colonial artists were employed such as Julian
Ashton, Albert Cooke, Oswald Rose Campbell, Alfred James Daplyn, Samuel
Calvert and Elizier Levi Montefiore.
Due to their ephemeral nature few have survived.
