Hobart Town from the Government Paddock

Signed lower right within image: J S Prout. From Prout's 'Tasmania Illustrated', published in Hobart by T Bluett. John Skinner Prout arrived in Australia in the late 1830s. In 1844 he and his family moved to Hobart. On 14 June he announced a course of lectures 'on the cultivation of the fine arts, with practical illustrations'. They were well received and later in the year he published the first volume of Tasmania Illustrated, 'five grouped vignettes of Tasmanian scenes'. By the time the second volume appeared in 1846 Prout had toured the North of the island, where he was 'engaged by several gentlemen for the purpose of sketching their country seats, farms, and the country surrounding them'. He returned to England in 1848 and began exhibiting many of his Australian works in London. Professionally conserved. Repair break in paper in right margin. Faint stain lower left of image. One line mark in sky. Rare.