Title: Old and New Home Stations
Artist: Nicholas Chevalier (1828-1902)
Engraver: Arthur Willmore (1814-1902)
Date: [ca. 1873]
Notes: This engraving by Arthur Willmore, was taken from a drawing by Russian-born artist Nicholas Chevalier, of "Bontharambo" at Wangaratta in Victoria.
Bontharambo
Joseph Docker and his wife Sarah arrived in Australia from England in 1828. After five years as chaplain of St Matthew's church in Windsor, west of Sydney, Joseph resigned from the ministry to become a farmer. Inspired by the explorations of Major Thomas Mitchell, Docker set off for Port Phillip in 1838, with his wife Sarah, five children, a niece, two female servants, and at least fourteen men. They took with them all their household possessions, farming equipment, 3,000 head of cattle, horses and bullocks, one four-wheeled wagon, two tilted carts, a light cart and gig, and supplies for an eight-month trip.
After crossing the "mighty" Murray River they reached the Ovens River in Victoria. With the imminent birth of their baby, Joseph selected a run where there was already a slab hut that had been abandoned after problems with the local aborigines. When his workmen joined the gold rush and left in the 1850s, Docker's kindness resulted in his aboriginal friends taking on shepherding and stock duties at "Bontharambo". The larger slab building completed in in 1843, was followed by the present magnificent homestead designed by Thomas Watts. Docker was innovative and progressive in cultivating olive trees for oil production and white mulberries for silk worms. He established 70 acres of grape vines, employed winemakers, and won medals for his wine. His sheep provided wool, and meat for the nearby goldfields. His orchard also became a commercial venture with lemons, mandarins, oranges, and many other varieties of fruit and vegetables.
Nicholas Chevalier
Nicholas Chevalier was born on 9 May, 1828, in St Petersburg, Russia, the son of Swiss born Louis Chevealier, overseer to the estates of the Prince de Wittgenstein in Russia, and a Russian mother, Tatiana Onofriewna. Nicholas left Russia with his father in 1845, and studied painting and architecture in Lausanne, Switzerland and Munich, Germany. He became an illustrator in watercolours and lithography after moving to London in 1851. Two of his paintings were hung in the Royal Academy in 1852. He then studied painting in Rome before before returning to London.
In late 1854 Chevalier sailed from London to Australia on board the 'Swallow' to join his father and brother, who was manager of the vineyards at Bontharambo on the Ovens River in Victoria. He arrived in Melbourne on 25 December and in August 1855 he obtained work as a cartoonist on the newly established Melbourne Punch. Later he did illustrative work for the Illustrated Australian News and also worked in chromo-lithography.
On 5 March 1857 Nicholas Chevalier married Caroline Wilkie, at the Congregational Church, Brunswick Street, Melbourne. Caroline was also an artist, the daughter of Frederick Wilkie (artist) and Sarah Drew. She was also related to the Scottish artist, David Wilkie.
In 1864, when the National Gallery of Victoria was founded, an exhibition of works by Victorian artists was held. Considered to be the best picture exhibited, Nicholas Chevalier's painting The Buffalo Ranges was purchased for £200. by the government for the National Gallery of Victoria. It was the first picture painted in Australia to be included in the Melbourne collection.
In 1865 Chevalier visited New Zealand, travelling widely and doing much work there which was exhibited at Melbourne on his return. In 1869 he joined HMS Galatea as an artist with the Duke of Edinburgh, on the voyage to the East and back to London with stops in Tahiti, Hawaii, Japan, China, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and India. The pictures painted during the voyage were exhibited at South Kensington.
In January 1874 Chevalier was commissioned by Queen Victoria to travel to St Petersburg and paint a picture of the marriage of the Duke of Edinburgh. Chevalier made London his headquarters and was a constant exhibitor at the Academy from 1871 to 1887. He had one picture in the 1895 Academy but had practically given up painting by then.
Nicholas Chevalier died in London on 15 March 1902.
Provenance: "Australia" vol. I, 1873; Edwin Carton Booth F.R.C.I. with drawings by (John) Skinner Prout, N. (Nicholas) Chevalier, &c. &c.
Author: Edwin Carton Booth
Contributor: John Skinner Prout (1805-1876)
Contributor: Nicholas Chevalier (1828-1902)
Date of Publication: 1873
Volume: I
Publisher: Virtue & Co
Place of Publishing: London
Copyright status: This work is out of copyright
Courtesy: The British Library
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