J W Lewin
(England, Australia 1770–Aug 1819)
- Title
- The Gigantic Lyllie of New South Wales
- Year
- 1810
- Media category
- Watercolour
- Materials used
- pencil, watercolour on cream laid paper
- Dimensions
-
53.8 x 43.1cm borderlines; 54.1x 43.6cm sheet; 68.0 x 57.5 x 4.0cm frame
- Signature & date
- Signed and dated l.r., pen and black ink "I.W. Lewin .../ 1810.".
- Credit
- Purchased 1968
- Accession number
- WA9.1968
- Location
- Not on display
- Further information
This winter and spring flowering lily grows in abundance in the rocky bushland of the Sydney region from Wollongong to Port Stephens. 'Gymea' is its Aboriginal name. At least three other studies of the Gymea lily (Doryanthes excelsa) by Lewin are known - two in the Mitchell Library (State Library of NSW) and another offered at auction by Christie's, London 26 September 2002 (67). In his book 'A narrative of a visit to the Australian colonies' (London, 1843), the visiting English Quaker and missionary James Backhouse noted that Australian Aborigines roasted and ate the lily's stem.
excerpt from Hendrik Kolenberg, Anne Ryan and Patricia James, '19th century Australian watercolours, drawings & pastels in the Gallery's collection', Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2005
- Bibliography (16)
-
'Australian images from the past: whether rarely seen or familiar, these works move and delight us' by Hendrik Kolenberg, pg. 24-27., Look Apr 2005, Apr 2005, 24.
Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia) (Author), Anne Ryan (Australia) (Author), Patricia James (Author), 19th century Australian watercolours, drawing and pastels from the Gallery's collection, Domain, 2005, 20, 21 (colour illus.).
Christie's London (England), Christie's London: Exploration and travel including The Bligh Relics, St. James's, 26 Sep 2002, 66 (colour illus.). lot no. 67 is a watercolour on paper titled 'The Gymea Lily (Doryanthes excelsa)', painted in 1807 by J.W. Lewin, 54.6 x 41.3 cm, Estimate: US$47,000 - 78,000.
Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), Australian art: in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Domain, 2000, 17, 20 (colour illus.), 21, 301.
Bruce James (Australia) (Author), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Director), Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, Domain, 1999, 183 (colour illus.).
Hendrik Kolenberg (Netherlands; Australia) (Author), Nineteenth century Australian watercolours from the collection, Sydney, 1991. not paginated, cat.no. 37
Daniel Thomas (Editor), Ron Radford (Australia, b.1949) (Assistant Co-ordinator), Creating Australia: 200 years of art 1788-1988, Melbourne, 1988, 35 (colour illus.).
Annabel Davie (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales Handbook, Domain, 1988, 16.
Patricia McDonald (Curator), Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), The artist and the patron - aspects of Colonial art in New South Wales, Sydney, 1988, 134, 135 (colour illus.). cat.no. 117
Tim Bonyhady (b.1957) (Author), The colonial image: Australian painting 1800-1880, Canberra, 1987, 13 (colour illus.).
Deborah Edwards (Australia) (Author), Two centuries of Australian painting: a selection from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, New South Wales, 1986, 8, 16 (illus.). cat.no. 1
Jane de Teliga (Australia) (Author), Australian images: Prints, drawings and watercolours from the collection, Sydney, 1979, 7.
'Australian collection' by Daniel Thomas, pg. 52-62., Art and Australia [vol. 10, no. 1] Jul 1972, Jul 1972, 53 (colour illus.).
Editor Unknown (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales picturebook, Domain, 1972, 65 (colour illus.).
Art Gallery of New South Wales Quarterly Apr 1969, Apr 1969, 454, 456 (illus.).
Christie's London (England), Paintings, drawings, bronzes, weapons and books of American, Australian, Canadian, South African and Eastern interest, 27 June - 2 July 1968, South Kensington, 1968, (illus.). lot no. 46
- Exhibition history (14)
-
Christie's South Kensington: Paintings, drawings, bronzes, weapons and books of American, Australian, Canadian, South African and Eastern interest, Christie, Manson and Woods, 27 Jun 1968–02 Jul 1968.
Western European and Australian drawings XVI-XX century, from Australian museums, State Hermitage Museum, Dec 1978–Feb 1979.
Australian images: Prints, drawings and watercolours from the collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 22 Dec 1979–28 Jan 1980.
Two centuries of Australian painting, a selection from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Orange Regional Gallery, 19 Apr 1986–15 Jun 1986.
The artist and the patron: Aspects of colonial art in New South Wales., Art Gallery of New South Wales, 02 Mar 1988–01 May 1988.
The great Australian art exhibition, Queensland Art Gallery, 17 May 1988–17 Jul 1988.
The great Australian art exhibition, Art Gallery of Western Australia, 13 Aug 1988–25 Sep 1988.
The great Australian art exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 21 Oct 1988–27 Nov 1988.
The great Australian art exhibition, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, 21 Dec 1988–05 Feb 1989.
The great Australian art exhibition, National Gallery of Victoria [St Kilda Road], 01 Mar 1989–30 Apr 1989.
The great Australian art exhibition, Art Gallery of South Australia, 23 May 1989–16 Jul 1989.
Nineteenth century Australian watercolours from the collection (1991), Art Gallery of New South Wales, 13 Apr 1991–07 Jul 1991.
19th century Australian watercolours, drawings & pastels, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 06 Apr 2005–24 Jul 2005.
Capturing flora: 300 years of Australian botanical art, Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, 25 Sep 2012–02 Dec 2012.
