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"Cobras, a fortified Island close to the city in Rio de Janeiro"
Artist: Raper, George
Created: [1789]
Dimensions: 32.7 x 48.2 cm
Reference: Raper Drawing - no. 10

 
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View of an island fortress as seen from off-shore, with low brown cliffs and white-grey buildings surrounded by a low white wall, and a flag-staff towards the centre flying a large white flag with pink dots in the centre. There are some houses outside the fortifications to the left of the island, and a smaller tree-covered island to the right. A conical blue-grey mountain peak can be seen in the distance between them. The sea is represented by a grey-blue gradated wash overlaid with grey horizontal brush marks, and the sky by blue and grey washes towards the top of the composition. 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. The signature and date are located in the inner band at lower right. 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 "COBRAS a Fortified Island close to the CITY in RIO de JANEIRO".
  • The drawing is signed and dated at lower right "GEO: RapeR #~ 1789 ~".
  • The drawing is inscribed in pencil at bottom left with the number "102, at top right "9" and on the reverse "56".
  • The First Fleet was anchored at Rio de Janeiro from 6th August to 4th September 1787. The islands in the harbour were described in The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay in 1789 (ref. J.J. Auchmuty (ed). The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay. Sydney, Angus and Robertson, 1970 pp.14-15.)
  • 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 15110
  • 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.
  • Wheeler, A. and Smith, B, (eds.) The Art of the First Fleet and other early Australian Drawings. New Haven and London, Yale University Press, 1988 (Pl.97, p.96).