Description
Important c.18th half-length portrait of the Sydney Aboriginal known by the name of Musquito.
This portrait, labeled “Y-erran-gou-la-ga” in the engraving, is believed to represent Musquito, a prominent Aboriginal figure. The original drawing, made by Nicholas-Martin Petit during the Baudin expedition’s stop in Sydney in 1802, identifies the subject as “Mousqueda,” known to the British as Musquito. However, historical records suggest ambiguity over which individual named Musquito the portrait depicts, as there were two men known by that name in Sydney during the early 19th century.
One candidate is the Guringai man Musquito (c. 1780–1825), infamous for his role in the Hawkesbury River raids of 1805 alongside his accomplice Bulldog. Following these raids, Musquito was exiled to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) in 1813. Despite his official status as a free man, Musquito was not permitted to return to Sydney. His fluency in English and expert bushcraft skills made him invaluable as a tracker, aiding in the capture of escaped convicts, including the notorious bushranger Michael Howe in 1818. Frustrated by the continued denial of his return to his homeland, Musquito eventually joined forces with the Oyster Bay nation in their resistance against colonial violence. He was ultimately captured and executed.
However, some historians argue that this portrait might instead depict another Musquito, an associate of Bennelong who died in Sydney in February 1806. This uncertainty adds a layer of historical intrigue to Petit’s work, reflecting the complexities of colonial encounters and the multiple narratives surrounding Indigenous figures in early Australian history.
Francois Peron’s ‘Voyage de Decouvertes aux Terre d’Australes’.
Collections:
British Museum: 2016,2024.4 |
National Gallery Australia: Accession no NGA 2013.4131.20
National Gallery Victoria: Accession Number 2010.96.26
National Museum Australia: 1995.0006.0034
State Library NSW: a2478029 /MRB F81/11
