Tristan da Cunha

Tristan da Cunha is an island group in the South Atlantic Ocean about midway between southern Africa and South America. It was discovered in 1506 by a Portuguese admiral and remained uninhabited until 1816 when a British garrison briefly took up residence. Although the troops left the following year, Corporal William Glass (later known as `Governor') chose to remain behind and together with his wife, Maria, established a primitive settlement.

Earle was stranded there in March 1824 when his ship, the Duke of Gloucester, inexplicably set sail without him. (Many of his South American watercolours presumably disappeared at that time as well.) It was fortunate that Earle had taken painting equipment ashore and was able to occupy himself recording his impressions of the island until his supplies ran out. He subsequently described the eight-month ordeal in a letter to a Hobart newspaper and published a lengthier account after his arrival back in England.

The paintings included in this section are more sombre than earlier works and depict the inhabitants and their daily activities as well as the stark, desolate landscape.

Government House, Tristan D'Acunha (1824)
17.5 x 26 NK12/2 T42
Solitude,—Tristan D'Acunha,—watching the horizon (1824)
17.5 x 25.7 NK12/3 T43
Governor Glass & his companions, Tristan D'Acunha (1824)
17.5 x 26 NK12/6 T46
Flinching a young sea elephant (1824)
17.5 x 26 NK12/9 T49
A man killing albatross Tristan D'Acunha (1824)
19.3 x 33.3 NK12/15 T54
June Park, Van Dieman's [sic] Land, perfect park scenery (1825)
24.2 x 40.3 NK12/27 T65
Port Jackson, New South Wales (c.1825)
10.8 x 35.2 NK12/22 T60
A native camp of Australian savages (1826)
25.1 x 43.8 NK12/28 T66
A native family of N.S. Wales (c.1826-27)
17.5 x 25.7 NK12/45 T83
A woman of New South Wales (1825-27)
24.8 x 18.7 NK12/35 T73
Desmond, a New South Wales chief (c.1825-27)
25.7 x 17.5 NK12/61 T99
View from the summit of Mount York, N.S. Wales (c.1826-27)
22.5 x 33 NK12/23 T61
Mosmans Cave, Wellington Valley, N.S. Wales No. 3 (1826-27)
34 x 22.9 NK12/43 T81
Skirmish, bush rangers & constables, Ilawarra [sic] (1827)
17.5 x 26 NK12/49 T87
The farm house of W. Lawson esq. N.S. Wales (c.1826-27)
12.7 x 25.7 NK12/S1 T89
A female penitentiary, Paramatta [sic], N.S. Wales (1825-27)
15.9 x 25.7 NK12/47 T85
Government House & part of the town of Sidney [sic] (1828)
18.1 x 31.1 NK12/31 T69


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