Elder Wing of Australian Art: Plain English Tour
Work 1 of 15

John Lewin was born in London, England.

In London he painted plants and animals.

John came to Sydney in 1800.

He wanted to make money by painting.

He also wanted to collect samples of Australian plants and animals.

Mainly birds and insects.

John went on trips to study science.

He was the first artist hired by the Governor.

John had a skill for painting details helpful for scientists.

This painting is different to his earlier paintings.

This is the first painting in Australia made using oil paint on canvas,

a thick cotton material.

It has many fish found in Sydney Harbour.

Those fish are:

- the snapper

- hammerhead shark

- crimson squirrelfish

- estuary perch

- rainbow wrasse

- sea mullet.

There are many fish at the front of the painting.

John did many layers of paint.

This makes the skin of the fish look wet and shiny.

Behind the fish, in the distance, is Dawes Point.

This is the land of the Gadigal people.

Today Sydney Harbour Bridge is built on Dawes Point.