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Natural history

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"Shark of Port Jackson"
Artist: Raper, George
Created: [1789]
Dimensions: 30.9 x 45.7 cm
Reference: Raper Drawing - no. 44

 
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Drawing of a shark in left profile, with a black to grey wash below it and an otherwise plain background. The shark is coloured grey above fading to white below, and has its mouth open to display a pink tongue and diamond-shaped teeth. The drawing is framed with a thick black ink line and a triple-banded border, the central band of which is coloured with a pink wash and contains the title, signature and date. Most of the outer band appears to have been lost through the drawing having been cropped.

 
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  • George Raper]
  • The drawing is inscribed in black ink at bottom "SHARK of PORT JACKSON GEO: Raper# 1789".
  • The drawing is signed "GEO:RapeR" and dated 1789.
  • The drawing is inscribed in pencil at bottom left with the number "44", at top right "43" and on the reverse "34".
  • John Calaby notes the similarity of the drawing to one in the sketchbook by John Hunter in the National Library of Australia, Canberra, which he identifies as a Whaler Shark of the Carcharhinidae family. (Calaby, John (ed). The Hunter Sketchbook. Melbourne, National Library of Australia, 1989 p. 182.)
  • The author of this catalogue record is Suzanne Stenning.
  • By permission of the trustees of the Natural History Museum (London).
  • Two sets of transparencies held in the Natural History Museum (London) Zoology Library and Picture Library: Picture Library order number 15144
  • Miss Eva Godman donated 1962
  • Data sheet available.
  • Hindwood, K.A. 'George Raper: an Artist of the First Fleet', Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Australian Historical Society, Vol. 50, Pt. 1, 1964 pp.32-57.