Exhibition labels & didactics - National Gallery of Victoria
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Exhibition labels & didactics - National Gallery of Victoria

Exhibition labels & didactics - National Gallery of Victoria Exhibition labels & didactics - National Gallery of Victoria

ngv.vic.gov.au
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06.04.2013 Views

THE SEARCH FOR LA PÉROUSE Three years after the last communication that France received from the much-feted Pacific expedition of the Comte de La Pérouse, authorised by Louis XVI in 1785, concern in Paris had grown to the point of action. Since La Pérouse had left Botany Bay in March 1788 (which he had visited on the King’s specific orders to observe the beginning of British colonisation in Australia), his whereabouts had been a constant mystery and a thorn in the side of French naval and scientific pride. Accordingly, in February 1791 the National Assembly authorised a new expedition to the Pacific, to search for any trace of La Pérouse and his crew. Joseph-Antoine Bruny d’Entrecasteaux was commissioned to lead this expedition, which visited Australia in 1792. Louis XVI, obsessed with the disappearance of La Pérouse, seems to have had a hand in drafting d’Entrecasteaux’s orders. Charged also with undertaking a new scientific study of Australia, d’Entrecasteaux carried in his ships scientists and botanists, cartographers and hydrographers, gardeners and artists. While his expedition failed to find any trace of La Pérouse (who unbeknown to d’Entrecasteaux had perished by shipwreck near the Solomon Islands), and d’Entrecasteaux himself died during the return voyage, nonetheless it made enormous contributions to world knowledge of Australia’s geography, flora and fauna. 26 © COPYRIGHT This document remains the property of the National Gallery of Victoria and must be returned upon request. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without written authorisation.

Jacques Julien Houtou de LABILLARDIÈRE author French 1755–1834 Title page in New Holland plant specimens Novae Hollandiae plantarum specimen Vol. 1, published by Huzard, Paris 1804 letterpress Rare Books Collection, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne RARELTF 581.994 L11N, vol.1 Assisted by the young gardener Félix Delahaye (who after 1805 worked as head gardener to Empress Josephine at Malmaison), Labillardière gathered thousands of specimens of Australian plants and flowers during the d’Entrecasteaux voyage, noting in his journal that ‘the Eucalyptus would do very well in France’. This enabled him to prepare his scholarly publication, Novae Hollandiae plantarum specimen (New Holland Plant Specimens) in 1804–06. This contained 265 plates illustrating Australia’s flora, making it the most comprehensive study of Australian botany in print at the time. © COPYRIGHT This document remains the property of the National Gallery of Victoria and must be returned upon request. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without written authorisation. 27

Jacques Julien Houtou de LABILLARDIÈRE<br />

author<br />

French 1755–1834<br />

Title page in New Holland plant specimens<br />

Novae Hollandiae plantarum specimen<br />

Vol. 1, published by Huzard, Paris<br />

1804<br />

letterpress<br />

Rare Books Collection, State Library <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong>, Melbourne RARELTF 581.994 L11N, vol.1<br />

Assisted by the young gardener Félix Delahaye<br />

(who after 1805 worked as head gardener to<br />

Empress Josephine at Malmaison),<br />

Labillardière gathered thousands <strong>of</strong> specimens<br />

<strong>of</strong> Australian plants and flowers during the<br />

d’Entrecasteaux voyage, noting in his journal<br />

that ‘the Eucalyptus would do very well in<br />

France’. This enabled him to prepare his<br />

scholarly publication, Novae Hollandiae<br />

plantarum specimen (New Holland Plant<br />

Specimens) in 1804–06. This contained<br />

265 plates illustrating Australia’s flora, making<br />

it the most comprehensive study <strong>of</strong> Australian<br />

botany in print at the time.<br />

© COPYRIGHT<br />

This document remains the property <strong>of</strong> the <strong>National</strong> <strong>Gallery</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Victoria</strong> and must be returned upon request. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without written authorisation.<br />

27

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