Convict artists in the time of Governor Macquarie

The label is damaged and difficult to read.
Identified after comparison with other portraits of Lachlan Macquarie, especially [Governor Lachlan Macquarie], 1822 / Read Snr (ML 36).

This watercolour was received with another drawing by R. Read Senior (V1/1820/4). Although the drawings are on different scales, together they form a view similar to the aquatint published with J. Atkinson's, "An account of the state of agriculture ..." London, 1826 (ML ref. 630.991/1A1). 
For notes on this and other copies of the same view, see PXn 599.

One half of a set that forms a panorama similar to the aquatint published with J. Atkinson's 'An account of the state of agriculture...' London, 1826 (ML ref 630.994/1A1) London, 1826. The set differs from the aquatint in some details, the drawings do not include St. James Church (completed in 1819) nor all the towers on Fort Macquarie (completed in 1819). W. Moore in his 'The story of Australian art' Sydney 1934 states that the originals for the aquatint were by R.Read senior and are now held in the National Library of Australia. For further notes on this and other versions of the same view see PXn 599.

Possibly by Read or his son, also called Richard (1796-1862) 
Identity of artist is unclear. The size & composition of the drawing is similar to signed works by Richard Read Junior (see "Rock Lily of New South Wales" at ML 1341) but the inscriptions on the reverse of the drawing are more appropriate to his father Richard Read Senior (c. 1765-?), who was transported for fourteen years for knowingly possessing forged notes. He arrived in the colony in 1813

Thomas Skottowe of the 73 (Highland) Regiment of Foot was Commandant of the Newcastle penal settlement from 1811 to 1814. While in Newcastle, Skottowe organised the collection and drawing of specimens for this manuscript. He was also was responsible for their arrangement and wrote the accompanying text. Reference : The Skottowe manuscript : Thomas Skottowe's select specimens from nature of the birds, animals, &c. &c. of New South Wales / ed. with an introductory essay, by T. Bonyhady & J. Calaby ; foreword by Sir D. Attenborough. Sydney : David Ell Press : Hordern House, 1988.

Richard Browne, watercolour painter and natural history artist, was transported to New South Wales after being convicted in Dublin in 1810. He served the majority of his seven-year sentence in Newcastle. Browne prepared illustrations for Skottowe's manuscript. -- Reference: Dictionary of Australian artists / Joan Kerr, editor. [Sydney] : Institute of Fine Arts, University of Sydney, 1984

Thomas Skottowe of the 73 (Highland) Regiment of Foot was Commandant of the Newcastle penal settlement from 1811 to 1814. While in Newcastle, Skottowe organised the collection and drawing of specimens for this manuscript. He was also was responsible for their arrangement and wrote the accompanying text. Reference : The Skottowe manuscript : Thomas Skottowe's select specimens from nature of the birds, animals, &c. &c. of New South Wales / ed. with an introductory essay, by T. Bonyhady & J. Calaby ; foreword by Sir D. Attenborough. Sydney : David Ell Press : Hordern House, 1988.

Richard Browne, watercolour painter and natural history artist, was transported to New South Wales after being convicted in Dublin in 1810. He served the majority of his seven-year sentence in Newcastle. Browne prepared illustrations for Skottowe's manuscript. -- Reference: Dictionary of Australian artists / Joan Kerr, editor. [Sydney] : Institute of Fine Arts, University of Sydney, 1984

Thomas Skottowe of the 73 (Highland) Regiment of Foot was Commandant of the Newcastle penal settlement from 1811 to 1814. While in Newcastle, Skottowe organised the collection and drawing of specimens for this manuscript. He was also was responsible for their arrangement and wrote the accompanying text. Reference : The Skottowe manuscript : Thomas Skottowe's select specimens from nature of the birds, animals, &c. &c. of New South Wales / ed. with an introductory essay, by T. Bonyhady & J. Calaby ; foreword by Sir D. Attenborough. Sydney : David Ell Press : Hordern House, 1988.

Richard Browne, watercolour painter and natural history artist, was transported to New South Wales after being convicted in Dublin in 1810. He served the majority of his seven-year sentence in Newcastle. Browne prepared illustrations for Skottowe's manuscript. -- Reference: Dictionary of Australian artists / Joan Kerr, editor. [Sydney] : Institute of Fine Arts, University of Sydney, 1984

`A variant of this subject showing the hunter first with his weapon and then presenting the fish to his wife was sold at Sotheby's, Sydney on 24th October 1985, Lot 80' -- Sotheby's Australia Catalogue 29 Oct 87.

For notes on the Library's copies of these engravings see ML MSS Aw 112
It is not possible to conclusively determine the artist of the views. Although Wallis claims to have made the original drawings in the imprint of many of the engravings, the six large plates (PXD 373/1-7) bear strong simialarities to the style of Joseph Lycett who is known to have worked for Wallis while they were both at Newcastle. The six small plates are less stylistically distinctive, and in inscriptions on the reverse of PXD 373/10 & 19 Wallis is said to be the artist of the original drawings. It is possible that Lycett was responsible for the six large plates and Wallis the six small. For references to the attribution question see Lycett and Wallis entries in Joan Kerr, Dictionary of Australian artists 1770-1870, 1992 : REF 1/Q709.94/87 Mitchell Library