Acquisition Recommendation Report:
Nillumbik Shire Council Art Collection
Christine Johnson
Voyages Botanical (Solander Box Set) ed.2/5 2014
Series A (x10); ed. 2/12; 34cm x 29cm each
Series B (x10); ed. 2/12; 18cm x 16cm each
Series C (x10); ed. 2/12; 9.5cm x 7.5cm each
solar plate engravings
Physical description: 30 solar plate engravings created from drawings by the artist
from living specimens, over-printed with text, maps and botanical art published
predominantly from William Dampier’s journal.
Subject matter: Natural world, botanical art, science and Australian history.
Ideas / Concept: To blend art with science, cartography and excerpts from
explorers’ journals to tell a story about the early years of European exploration of
Australia by way of the flowers that were collected on the expeditions, as well as
highlight the vulnerability and fragility of Australia’s natural environment.
Historical Information: Johnson undertook this project with a State Library of
Victoria Creative Fellowship in 2012, drawing on early botanical illustrations by
Sydney Parkinson, Pierre-Joseph Redoute, Ferdinand Bauer and others from the
Library’s Rare Books Collection. Since early 2013, Johnson has also been working
as artist in residence at Baldessin Press, in St Andrews, Victoria, printing the series.
The same light that nourished plants also creates the image on a solar plate. The
plates are then inked and printed by hand using a traditional etching press.
Statement of Significance: The prints reference native flora found in Nillumbik.
Johnson was a finalist in the 2014 Nillumbik Prize with one of the prints in this series.
Acquisition Details: Purchased through the artist. Original price was $12,500
(discount of 15%).
Price on acquisition: $10,625
Provenance: Purchased directly from the artist. Works have been exhibited in the
State Library of Victoria and Montsalvat. State Library of Victoria has first edition in
their Collection.
Condition: Excellent
We, the ACC members hereby recommend the acquisition of Christine Johnson’s
Voyages Botanical (Solander Box Set) for the Nillumbik Shire Council Art
Collection.
The work is in accordance with the Standard selection requirements (4.2a-e) and the
Acquisition selection criteria (4.3a-c) of Council’s Art Collection Policy 2014-2017 as
detailed below:
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In excellent condition
An excellent example of Johnson’s work practice.
The prints were completed at Baldessin Press (the late, renowned Australian
artist George Baldessin’s studio located in St. Andrews. Now a residency
program founded and run by his widow Tess Edwards)
The prints reference native flora found in Nillumbik
Have a clear and verifiable provenance
Christine Johnson is an artist with a national reputation who lives locally
The prints expand and complement existing works on paper from Baldessin
Press in the Collection.