Product Details
CAPTAIN W. CORNWALLIS HARRIS
A FINE AND RARE COPY OF 'PORTRAITS OF THE GAME AND WILD ANIMALS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA',
published for the proprietor by W. Pickering, Chancery Lane, dated 1840, printed by Green and Martin, sold by P. & D.Colnaghi, W.Wood and T.Cadell, finely illustrated with 30 hand-coloured plates by Harris, and a further 30 fine lithographed vignette illustrations, some foxing to the pages, original red Moroccan leather binding, the spine with gilt-inlaid lettering and detailing
Provenance: William Cornwallis Harris was born 1807 to James Harris of Wittersham, Kent. Once he'd finished his schooling at Addiscombe College he went into the East India Company as a second lieutenant of engineers. He spent over thirteen years with the company with postings that allowed him to indulge his passion for hunting, and the depiction of the wildlife encountered while in the bush.
Although stationed mainly in India, it was Africa that provided the main source of inspiration for his painting. His work is considered important not because he was a great artist; he wasn't, but because he was the first to record the flora and fauna of southern Africa with any degree of accuracy. The depictions in this volume originated from his trip to Capetown where he arrived in 1836. After gathering himself, he joined forces with fellow naturalist and hunter, William Richardson, and the pair set-off for the Western Transvaal and Magaliesberg. The trip lasted until the end of the following year when he returned to India, and his work as an engineer to the Sindh Force.
From 1841 to 1843, Harris led a British diplomatic mission to Sahle Selassie of Shewa, at the time an autonamous district of Ethiopia, with whom they negotiated a commerce treaty. His efforts during this period were recognised; he was a gazetted major in 1843 and was knighted for his services the following year.
Harris died of fever at the age of 41.
Literature: It is rare to find an intact copy of this work; only 500 were published and the prints were often removed in order to be framed.
Estimate £6,000-7,000