Skip to main content
G:N2:5 3
Edit position
Edit position

Last set 1 day, 20 hours ago. Manual moves override automatic placement until the next shelfie/spine match.

Natural curiosity : unseen art of the first fleet
Diagnose this book
Open in Vernon Browser

Natural curiosity : unseen art of the first fleet

by Louise Anemaat

This book examines a collection of 18th-century watercolour illustrations of Australian flora and fauna discovered in 2011. It explores the work of First Fleet artists and the global network of collectors who acquired, copied, and exchanged these early artworks.

Accession 8314 ISBN 9781742234090 Publisher NewSouth Publishing
Book Images
Reference and live side by side Hover to see live images
Reference
Natural curiosity : unseen art of the first fleet cover
Live
Natural curiosity : unseen art of the first fleet live spine
No live
Natural curiosity : unseen art of the first fleet live spine
Natural curiosity : unseen art of the first fleet cover
No live
TAGS
Curated Derived
Animals Art Biology Collections Culture Geography History Life Sciences Plants Political Science Science Social Sciences
CONNECTIONS
No connections
State
on_shelf
True
position_updated_at
2026-06-04 16:57
orientation
vertical
Details

Physical

binding_type
Hard Back
dimensions
none captured
spine_text
none captured

Metadata

Book form
LOCATION HISTORY
G:N2:5 3 Current vertical
2 days, 20 hours ago
G:W2:15 4 vertical
1 week, 1 day ago
Book Location
Updated 1 day, 20 hours ago
Vernon snapshot
View live

Frozen copy of Vernon's record from the last sync. Fields tagged → flow back into the Pulse record.

Last synced 2026-05-27 10:00 (1 week, 3 days ago)

Identity

name→ title
Natural curiosity : unseen art of the first fleet
vernon_id
12112
accession_no→ accession_number
8314
vernon_slug
natural-curiosity-unseen-art-of-the-first-fleet-louise-anemaat

Drives Pulse state

curr_loc_status→ on_shelf
On Shelf
location_name
Zone N2/Level 1/Phrontisterion/MONA
location_reason
On Shelf
isbn_issn→ isbn (when valid)
9781742234090

Descriptive

production_date
2014
object_type
Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication
object_status
Accessioned
brief_description
It caused a sensation in eighteenth-century London when the first ships returned from Sydney with their cargo of exotic animals, birds and plants and striking watercolour illustrations. The acquisition, in 2011, by the Mitchell Library of a large number of these watercolour illustrations has revealed much about the early years of the colony. In this beautifully illustrated book, Louise Anemaat uncovers never-before-published works from the artists of the First Fleet, including convicts-turned-watercolourists Thomas Watling and John Doody, and the anonymous 'Port Jackson Painter'. She unravels the complex network of natural history collectors who spanned the globe, eagerly acquiring, copying and exchanging these artworks, from New South Wales Surgeon-General John White to passionate British collector Aylmer Bourke Lambert.

Subjects & people

authors→ author (initial fill only)
Louise Anemaat
tags→ tags
Art, Arts, Science, Life sciences, Political science, Social sciences, Civilisation, Nature, Imperialism, Biology, Collectors and collecting, Birds, Vertebrates, Chordata, Animals, Natural history, Plants, Organisms, Life (Biology), Botany, First Fleet, 1787-1788, Exotic animals
subject_people
Thomas Watling (Scottish, b.1762, d.Circa 1814), Aylmer Bourke Lambert (English, b.1761, d.1842), John Doody, John White (English, b.1756, d.1832), Port Jackson Painter
subject_objects
—

Cover image

vernon_cover_image_id→ cover_image
19281

Raw Vernon JSON

click to inspect

The source payload behind the snapshot above.
Use ⌘F to search once expanded.
{7 keys}
"slug": "natural-curiosity-unseen-art-of-the-first-fleet-louise-anemaat"
"opacObjectId": "12112"
"opacCollection": {1 keys}
"opacCollectionId": "1"
"imagesCollection": {2 keys}
"images": [1 items]
"[0]": {5 keys}
"imageId": "19281"
"cssColors": [5 items]
"[0]": {9 keys}
"hex": "f5f5f5"
"hue": 0
"rank": 1
"presence": 70.44
"colorName": "whitesmoke"
"lightness": 96
"colorGroup": "white"
"saturation": 0
"formattedColorName": "white smoke"
"[1]": {9 keys}
"hex": "a0522d"
"hue": 19
"rank": 2
"presence": 13.69
"colorName": "sienna"
"lightness": 40
"colorGroup": "brown"
"saturation": 56
"formattedColorName": "sienna"
"[2]": {9 keys}
"hex": "bdb76b"
"hue": 56
"rank": 3
"presence": 11.24
"colorName": "darkkhaki"
"lightness": 58
"colorGroup": "yellow"
"saturation": 38
"formattedColorName": "dark khaki"
"[3]": {9 keys}
"hex": "808080"
"hue": 0
"rank": 4
"presence": 0.63
"colorName": "gray"
"lightness": 50
"colorGroup": "gray"
"saturation": 0
"formattedColorName": "gray"
"[4]": {9 keys}
"hex": "b0e0e6"
"hue": 187
"rank": 5
"presence": 3.4
"colorName": "powderblue"
"lightness": 80
"colorGroup": "blue"
"saturation": 52
"formattedColorName": "powder blue"
"rawColors": [7 items]
"[0]": {6 keys}
"hex": "eef0eb"
"hue": 84
"rank": 1
"presence": 70.44
"lightness": 93
"saturation": 14
"[1]": {6 keys}
"hex": "735b4b"
"hue": 24
"rank": 2
"presence": 13.69
"lightness": 37
"saturation": 21
"[2]": {6 keys}
"hex": "beb38e"
"hue": 46
"rank": 3
"presence": 11.24
"lightness": 65
"saturation": 26
"[3]": {6 keys}
"hex": "967f78"
"hue": 14
"rank": 4
"presence": 0.63
"lightness": 52
"saturation": 12
"[4]": {6 keys}
"hex": "b5cccc"
"hue": 180
"rank": 5
"presence": 3.4
"lightness": 75
"saturation": 18
"[5]": {6 keys}
"hex": "c2b169"
"hue": 48
"rank": 6
"presence": 0.29
"lightness": 58
"saturation": 42
"[6]": {6 keys}
"hex": "7f947f"
"hue": 120
"rank": 7
"presence": 0.31
"lightness": 53
"saturation": 8
"imageLabels": [10 items]
"[0]": {5 keys}
"count": 15173
"score": 80.38
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Book"
"imageLabelId": 67
"[1]": {5 keys}
"count": 506
"score": 76.81
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Terrestrial animal"
"imageLabelId": 244
"[2]": {5 keys}
"count": 11761
"score": 76.74
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Poster"
"imageLabelId": 21
"[3]": {5 keys}
"count": 19022
"score": 76.06
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Publication"
"imageLabelId": 23
"[4]": {5 keys}
"count": 19411
"score": 75.41
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Font"
"imageLabelId": 12
"[5]": {5 keys}
"count": 140
"score": 74.07
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Tail"
"imageLabelId": 368
"[6]": {5 keys}
"count": 5931
"score": 70.3
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Illustration"
"imageLabelId": 25
"[7]": {5 keys}
"count": 166
"score": 67.25
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Mythical creature"
"imageLabelId": 631
"[8]": {5 keys}
"count": 11006
"score": 65.11
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Art"
"imageLabelId": 4
"[9]": {5 keys}
"count": 43
"score": 65.06
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Cryptid"
"imageLabelId": 632
"imageDerivatives": [6 items]
"[0]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/large/1421/98b656f9d3228e7fc8844cb0f8192aeaf3a7dfa1.jpg"
"width": "661"
"height": "800"
"identifier": "LARGE"
"[1]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/medium/1421/98b656f9d3228e7fc8844cb0f8192aeaf3a7dfa1.jpg"
"width": "330"
"height": "400"
"identifier": "MEDIUM"
"[2]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/nano/1421/98b656f9d3228e7fc8844cb0f8192aeaf3a7dfa1.jpg"
"width": "29"
"height": "35"
"identifier": "NANO"
"[3]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/small/1421/98b656f9d3228e7fc8844cb0f8192aeaf3a7dfa1.jpg"
"width": "124"
"height": "150"
"identifier": "SMALL"
"[4]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/tiny/1421/98b656f9d3228e7fc8844cb0f8192aeaf3a7dfa1.jpg"
"width": "62"
"height": "75"
"identifier": "TINY"
"[5]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/xlarge/1421/98b656f9d3228e7fc8844cb0f8192aeaf3a7dfa1.jpg"
"width": "991"
"height": "1200"
"identifier": "XLARGE"
"totalImages": 1
"objectSearchScore": 1.3154325
"opacObjectFieldSets": [40 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "accession_no"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "8314"
"[1]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "name"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Natural curiosity : unseen art of the first fleet / Louise Anemaat"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "title"
"value": "Natural curiosity : unseen art of the first fleet / Louise Anemaat"
"[2]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "other_name"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[3]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "artist_last_first"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Anemaat, Louise"
"[4]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_date"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "2014"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [2 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "earliest_date"
"value": "2014-01-01Z"
"[1]": {2 keys}
"key": "latest_date"
"value": "2014-12-31Z"
"[5]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_date_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[6]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "edition"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[7]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "brief_desc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "It caused a sensation in eighteenth-century London when the first ships returned from Sydney with their cargo of exotic animals, birds and plants and striking watercolour illustrations. The acquisition, in 2011, by the Mitchell Library of a large number of these watercolour illustrations has revealed much about the early years of the colony. In this beautifully illustrated book, Louise Anemaat uncovers never-before-published works from the artists of the First Fleet, including convicts-turned-watercolourists Thomas Watling and John Doody, and the anonymous 'Port Jackson Painter'. She unravels the complex network of natural history collectors who spanned the globe, eagerly acquiring, copying and exchanging these artworks, from New South Wales Surgeon-General John White to passionate British collector Aylmer Bourke Lambert."
"[8]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "measure_desc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[9]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "credit_line"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[10]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "curr_loc_status"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "On Shelf"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "curr_loc_status:"On Shelf""
"[11]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "ob_status"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Accessioned"
"[12]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "lender"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[13]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_owner"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[14]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_type"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[15]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_start"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[16]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_expiry"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[17]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[18]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "curr_loc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Zone N2/Level 1/Phrontisterion/MONA"
"[19]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "object_type"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "object_type:"Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication""
"[20]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "collection"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Main Collection/Library"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "collection:"Main Collection/Library""
"[21]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Sydney/New South Wales/Australia"
"[22]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_publisher"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "NewSouth Publishing"
"[23]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "physical_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [2 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "256 pages : illustrations (colour) ; 25 cm."
"[1]": {1 keys}
"value": "Includes bibliographical references and index."
"[24]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "language"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "English"
"[25]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "isbn_issn"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "9781742234090"
"[26]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "user_sym_1"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "994.02 ANE"
"[27]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "usual_loc_being"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Zone N2/Level 1/Phrontisterion/MONA"
"[28]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_class"
"opacObjectFields": [12 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Animals"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Animals""
"[1]": {2 keys}
"value": "Art/Arts"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Art/Arts""
"[2]": {2 keys}
"value": "Biology/Life sciences/Science"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Biology/Life sciences/Science""
"[3]": {2 keys}
"value": "Birds/Vertebrates/Chordata/Animals"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Birds/Vertebrates/Chordata/Animals""
"[4]": {2 keys}
"value": "Botany/Biology/Life sciences/Science"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Botany/Biology/Life sciences/Science""
"[5]": {2 keys}
"value": "Collectors and collecting/Art/Arts"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Collectors and collecting/Art/Arts""
"[6]": {2 keys}
"value": "Exotic animals/Animals"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Exotic animals/Animals""
"[7]": {2 keys}
"value": "First Fleet, 1787-1788"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"First Fleet, 1787-1788""
"[8]": {2 keys}
"value": "Imperialism/Political science/Social sciences/Civilisation"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Imperialism/Political science/Social sciences/Civilisation""
"[9]": {2 keys}
"value": "Natural history/Science"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Natural history/Science""
"[10]": {2 keys}
"value": "Nature"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Nature""
"[11]": {2 keys}
"value": "Plants/Organisms/Life (Biology)"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Plants/Organisms/Life (Biology)""
"[29]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_date"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[30]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_event"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[31]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_period"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "18th Century"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_period:"18th Century""
"[32]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_object"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[33]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_person"
"opacObjectFields": [5 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Thomas Watling (Scottish, b.1762, d.Circa 1814)"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_person:"Thomas Watling (Scottish, b.1762, d.Circa 1814)""
"[1]": {2 keys}
"value": "Aylmer Bourke Lambert (English, b.1761, d.1842)"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_person:"Aylmer Bourke Lambert (English, b.1761, d.1842)""
"[2]": {2 keys}
"value": "John Doody"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_person:"John Doody""
"[3]": {2 keys}
"value": "John White (English, b.1756, d.1832)"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_person:"John White (English, b.1756, d.1832)""
"[4]": {2 keys}
"value": "Port Jackson Painter"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_person:"Port Jackson Painter""
"[34]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Australia"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_place:"Australia""
"[35]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_person"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[36]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[37]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_event"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[38]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_object"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[39]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "user_sym_9"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"relationshipsCollection": {2 keys}
"relationships": [1 items]
"[0]": {4 keys}
"relatedRecords": [1 items]
"[0]": {3 keys}
"slug": "louise-anemaat"
"title": "Louise Anemaat"
"relatedRecordId": "13563"
"relationshipId": "object_prod_pri_person"
"relatedRecordType": "person"
"totalRelatedRecords": 1
"totalRelationships": 1
Topics and Themes