Homme du Cap de Diemen. Finau, Chef des Guerriers de Tongatabou.

Rare C.19th French engraving of a Tasmanian aboriginal man and the other of a Tongan native.

Historically important engravings of the Tasmanian aborigines depicted as noble savages. This concept was proposed by the Enlightenment philosopher Rousseau in his, Discourse on Inequality (1754)

From, Jacques Julien Houton de Labillardiere (1755-1834), “Relation du voyage a la recherche de La Perouse”

References:
Ferguson, J. A. Bibliography of Australia Volumes 1-8, Canberra 1976 : 307.
Hill, J. The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages. San Diego 1974 :.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 34025
National Gallery Australia: Accession Number: 2011.1238.A-B
Auckland Art Gallery Toiotamaki: Accession no 1965/1/6