An opossum of Van Diemen's Land
Primary Artist
Peter Mazell (1733–1808)
Title
An opossum of Van Diemen's Land
Source
Cook, James and King, James. 'A voyage to the Pacific Ocean... for making discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere. London: Printed by W. & A. Strahan for G. Nicol & T. Codell, 1784
Page or Plate number
plate 8
Date made
1784
Place made
Europe, England, Greater London, London View on map Close map
Category
Print type
intaglio
Technique
engraving, printed in black ink, from one copper plate
Text printed from matrix
printed upper right above image, '8'. printed lower left below image, ‘J. Webber del.'.
printed signature lower right below image w, 'P. Mazell sculp.'.
printed lower centre below image, 'An OPOSSUM of VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.'.
Matrix size
15.0 x 24.0 m (printed image); 17.5 x 24.0 cm (printed image and text); 21.6 x 27.0 cm (plate-mark)
Support
paper subsequently laid on backing sheet
Support size
21.5 x 27.1 cm (sheet); 62.6 x 38.7 cm (backing sheet)
State
published state
Impression
undesignated impression
Edition information
print run unknown
Inscriptions or device subsequently added to the work
inscribed upper right corner of backing sheet in black pencil, '3 [within circle] 90'.
Collection
National Gallery of Australia
IRN
246768
Accession number
2013.4129.9.90
Accession method
Purchase
Credit line
Purchased 2013
Web address
https://searchthecollection.nga.gov.au/object/246768
Subject categories
Voyages of exploration and discovery 1600-1900: English | Australia, Art period: Colonial, Tasmania | Australia, Animal: Possum
Creators
Mazell, Peter. | (1733–1808) Irish | Male | engraver
Webber, John. | (1751–1793) English | Male | print after
Last Updated
13 Oct 2025