'John Batman's famous treaty with the blacks', c1914

Description

This is a black-and-white engraving, measuring 40.4 cm x 57 cm, made by George Rossi Ashton (1851-1942) in about 1914. It depicts John Batman (1801-39) and an elderly Indigenous Australian man leaning over what is probably a treaty document on the decayed trunk of a large fallen tree. They are surrounded by 16 men, many of them holding spears. In the foreground is a small fire, some Indigenous weapons, an axe and a pistol. At the bottom is the text: 'JOHN BATMAN'S FAMOUS TREATY WITH THE BLACKS / MERRI CREEK NORTHCOTE JUNE 6,1835. / Presented to the Commonwealth Library (Petherick Collection) By R. Tobin. 11/3/1914'.

Acknowledgements