Thomas Baines (1820-1875)
Artist, traveller, explorer, journalist, cartographer
Keywords:
Thomas BainesAbstract
A summary of the following presentation was delivered by Dave Hawkins to an audience of LAHS members at the AGM in October 2021.
[From the introduction] 'Life of o Traveller' was the title of an 1873 presentation made by Baines to the Grey Institute in Port Elizabeth. Ever a modest man, he did not describe himself as an explorer, nor even as an artist. He stated he was 'driven by the adventure of Travel.' It is true that he never led an expedition, never made any major discovery, never thought of himself as a great artist - rather, his goal was to represent in words and images what he had seen and experienced. And he did it so, so well. It is through him that we can visualise what it was like during the 1840s to 1870s - in Southern and Central Africa, as well as in Tropical Northern Australia.
References
Carruthers, J. and Arnold, M., The Life and Work of Thomas Baines. Fernwood Press, 1995.
Kennedy, R.F., ed. Journal of a Residence in Africa, 1842 to 1853 by Thomas Baines, 2 vols. Cape Town: The Van Riebeeck Society, 1961,1964.
Lord, W.B. and Baines, Thomas, Shifts and Expedients of Camp Life, Travel and Exploration. London: Horace Cox, 1871: 2 ed. Johannesburg: Africana Book Society, 1975.
Wallis, J.P.R., Thomas Baines His Life and Explorations in South Africa, Rhodesia and Australia, 1820 - 1875. 2nd ed., Cape Town: A.A. Balkema, 1976, of first edition 1942.
And various Papers and Internet Searches, including:
Dictionary of Australian Artists. (North Australia & Botany)
Lindy Stiebel, SA Historical Journal. (The Great Map)
Manchester University openhive. (Zululand Map)
Michael Godby, Visual history. (Photography & Painting) Zimbabwe Field Guide. (Zambezi Expedition)
Wallis, J.P.R., Thomas Baines His Life and Explorations in South Africa, Rhodesia and Australia, 1820 - 1875. 2nd ed., Cape Town: A.A. Balkema, 1976, of first edition 1942.
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