Homeward bound

Clearly bored with Sydney society, and frustrated in his attempts to obtain a land grant, Earle departed finally on 12 October 1828 bound for India. He travelled to the Pacific and Asia before disembarking at Madras where he reputedly `acquired both fame and money; and during his short stay there executed the original drawings of that Presidency, which have been since copied and exhibited as a Panorama, by Messrs. Daniell and Parris'. Earle's health soon declined, however, and he was forced to take another two ships back to England. Upon arrival, he wasted no time in capitalising on his experiences abroad and published an eight-part series of Sydney views (1830) as well as an illustrated account of New Zealand and Tristan da Cunha (1832) and a set of New Zealand views (1838).

The works selected for this section trace the artist's return journey and incorporate views of other colonial outposts that he visited en route including Guam (Spanish), Malacca (Dutch/British), Penang (British) and India (British). A highly romantic image depicting Napoleon's tomb on the island of St Helena (British) concludes the exhibition.

Native of the Island of Tucopeia (1828)
24.8 x 22.2 NK12/90 T128
The E.O. Racky [Horeke], dock yard on the E.O. Ke Angha [sic] River (1828)
25.1 x47.5 NK12/138 T175
Umatak [Umatac], Island of Guam (1828)
21.6 x 27.3 NK12/121 T158
A woman of the Mariannas or Ladrone Islands (1828)
14.9 x 18 NK12/124 T161
Malacca ( l 828)
19.7 x 34 NK12/119 T156
View in Pulo Penang or Prince Edward's Island (1828)
25.8 x 52.4 NK12/122 T159
A catamaran Madras Roads (1829)
14.6 x 26.3 NK12/126 T163
A bullock hackery or cow coach of India (1829)
18.7 x 17.1 NK12/125 T162
Napoleons tomb in the Island of St. Helena (1829)
26.7 x 42.9 NK12/142 T179


Introduction | Brief chronology | Shipboard life
Tristan da Cunha | New Zealand | Homeward bound
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