C1790

Blue Frogs.

Artist:

The first illustration of the Australian Green Tree Frog or White’s Frog, named after surgeon John White who provided the first description in 1790. The species was originally called the “blue frog” (Rana caerulea) because the original specimens White sent … Read Full Description

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S/N: WJOAV-AMP-033–194825

(C079)

Categories: Reptiles & Amphibians, PRINTS & PHOTOGRAPHS, ANIMALS

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Details

Full Title:

Blue Frogs.

Date:

C1790

Artist:

Sarah Stone (1760 - 1844)

Condition:

In good condition.

Technique:

Copper engraving with original hand colouring.

Image Size:

225mm

x 130mm

Paper Size:

285mm

x 225mm

Genuine antique
dated:

1790

Description:

The first illustration of the Australian Green Tree Frog or White’s Frog, named after surgeon John White who provided the first description in 1790.

The species was originally called the “blue frog” (Rana caerulea) because the original specimens White sent to England appeared blue due to a reaction to the preservative used which destroyed the yellow layer and left the frog with a blue appearance. The specific epithet, caerulea, is Latin for blue, has remained.

Common names: Australian green tree frog, White’s tree frog, green tree frog or dumpy tree frog.
Modern binomial name: Litoria caerulea
First described: White, 1790
Distribution: Australia wide (mainland)

From John White’s, Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales

References:
Abbey, J.R. Travel in Aquatint and Lithography 1770-1860. London 1972 605.
Crittenden, V. A Bibliography of The First Fleet. ACT 1982 248.
Ferguson, J. A. Bibliography of Australia Volumes 1-8, Canberra 1976 97.
Hill, J. The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages. San Diego 1974 1858.
Nissen, C. Die Illustrierten Vogelbucher. Stuttgart 1995 ZBI 4390.
Wantrup, J. Australian Rare Books. Sydney 1987 17.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 87340
State Library New South Wales: Call Number: MRB/Q991/2A2
National Gallery Victoria: Accession Number2012.31
State Library Victoria: CCF 919.44 W58
National Museum of Australia: Object number 2007.0035.0001

Sarah Stone (1760 - 1844)

Known as Sarah Smith or Sarah Stone, she was the daughter of a professional fan painter and worked as a natural history illustrator in England between 1777 and 1820. Like many British artists she never travelled to the Southern Hemisphere, although she is best known for her depictions of Australian subjects. Stone was commissioned by some of the great eighteenth-century collectors, including Sir Ashton Lever and Sir Joseph Banks, to prepare watercolour drawings based on specimens of animals, birds and objects brought back to England by members of recent voyages of exploration. In many cases her drawings were the first studies of certain natural history species, a fact which makes them of considerable scientific interest. Some of her watercolours recording the collections of artefacts and natural history gathered on the voyages of Captain James Cook are among the treasures of the Australian Museum in Sydney and the Bishop Museum in Honolulu. As Miss Stone, 'Honorary Exhibitor’, she exhibited four paintings at the Royal Academy in 1781 and 1786: two of birds, a peacock and a group of shells. As Mrs Smith, she showed a perspective view of Sir Ashton Lever’s Museum with the London Society of Artists at Leicester House in 1791 – previously exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1785.

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