Name

Augustus Earle

Culture

English

Gender

Male

Birth date

1 June 1793

Birth place

London, England View on map Close map

Death date

10 December 1838

Death Place

London, England View on map Close map

Movements

World-wide travels 1815-33, including Australia 1825-27; Aotearoa New Zealand October 1827-April 1828

Occupations

Artist (painter) | Artist (water-colouristist) | Drawer | Lithographer

Summary

Worked: England, USA, Brazil, Australia (TAS, NSW), Aotearoa New Zealand.

NGA IRN

12494

Context

Australia

Address

• 1826.
  10 George Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
  School of Painting. [Monitor, 1 September 1826, p.127, col.3].

Biography

 

Born in 1793, Augustus Earle was the son of James Earl and the nephew of Ralph Earl (Augustus added the final ‘e’ to the family name), two well known American painters. He arrived in Australia in 1825, landing at Hobart Town. Four months later, after painting a few portraits he left for Sydney. There he quickly established himself as the colony’s leading artist, taking on many commissions for the wealthy non-convict Sydney society.

In July 1826, Earle advertised the opening of his art gallery in George Street, and by August he had been given a lithographic press on which the first lithographic prints in the colony were produced. Throughout 1827 he travelled extensively around the colony, and by October he had sailed for New Zealand, returning to Sydney six months later. He departed the colony in October 1828.

He continued to travel and whilst in London he completed lithographs and paintings from his Australian drawings.

© Australianprints