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Bennelong in European clothing, 1798

Image Bennelong in European clothing, 1798

TLF ID R4035

This is an engraving made by James Neagle in England in 1798. It features an oval portrait of Bennelong wearing a ruffled shirt, waistcoat and frockcoat. A number of Indigenous Australian weapons are depicted in a formal arrangement behind the portrait; these include two shields, a woomera (spear thrower), a hafted axe and various types of spears. The engraving's plate-mark measures 10.0 cm x 13.5 cm.

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Educational details

Educational value
  • This asset features Bennelong, a Wangal man from the south side of the Parramatta River - the Indigenous peoples around Port Jackson had effectively avoided the British settlers, and Governor Arthur Phillip wished to establish contact with them; Bennelong was one of three captured on the orders of Phillip; he was abducted from Manly Cove in November 1789 but ran away after six months, returning in 1790 to Sydney, where he received an iron hatchet and made a verbal peace agreement with Governor Phillip; Bennelong adopted European dress and ways, learned English and tried to improve relations with the British by teaching them about Indigenous customs and language.
  • It depicts Bennelong when he was in England with another Indigenous Australian man, Yemmerrawanie - the pair left Sydney with Governor Phillip in 1792 and were presented to King George III on 24 May 1793; after Bennelong returned to Australia in February 1795, he tried to persuade his family to adopt British dress and behaviour, but was rejected by his own people; he died on 3 January 1813.
  • It illustrates several Indigenous Australian weapons - both sides of a painted shield are depicted (one pierced by a hunting spear), although the style of the shield's handle is not accurate; the head of a woomera (spear thrower) is on the lower left, with a multipronged fishing spear on the lower right; above these are ceremonial objects, as well as a fighting spear and hunting spear (left), and a hafted axe and two hunting spears (right); the uppermost weapon is likely to be a boomerang; the artist may have drawn the weapons from written descriptions or weapons sent to England, or copied them from other works.
  • It is an example of copper engraving - engravers carve a picture onto a copper plate, use varnish to protect unscratched areas, then etch the plate in an acid bath; multiple identical images can be made by inking the finished plate and pressing it against damp paper through heavy rollers.
Topics Aboriginal peoples Weapons Medical equipment Engraving

Other details

Contributors
  • Author
  • Name: Cadell and Davies
  • Organization: Cadell and Davies
  • Description: Author
  • Person: James Neagle
  • Description: Author
  • Contributor
  • Name: National Library of Australia
  • Organization: National Library of Australia
  • Description: Content provider
  • URL: http://www.nla.gov.au
  • Name: Cadell and Davies
  • Organization: Cadell and Davies
  • Description: Author
  • Name: Education Services Australia
  • Organization: Education Services Australia
  • Description: Data manager
  • Person: James Neagle
  • Description: Author
  • Copyright Holder
  • Name: National Library of Australia
  • Organization: National Library of Australia
  • Publisher
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organization: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Description: Publisher
  • Address: VIC, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://www.esa.edu.au
  • Resource metadata contributed by
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organisation: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Address: AUSTRALIA
  • URL: www.esa.edu.au
Access profile
  • Colour independence
  • Device independence
  • Hearing independence
Learning Resource Type
  • Image
Rights
  • © Education Services Australia Ltd and National Library of Australia, 2013, except where indicated under Acknowledgements