Beautiful art work…

If you are a fan of world or art history, this book offers a delightful slice of both. Where explorers went, so did the need for proof of their adventures. Whether discovering new tropical lands or the darkest areas of the African continent, it wasn’t enough to provide detailed descriptions. Governments wanted more tangible proof from their explorers and expectations were high…

The sketches and prints included in this book sit beside brief but informative descriptions. Put
together, they painted (mostly) the rosier side of exploration with the truth lying somewhere close by. History is subjective yet these pictures, even if idealized, provide a glimpse into places and times never to be seen again. While the pictures were the focus, the accompanying details were clear, concise explanations providing depth and context. Put together, they offered a sense of adventure and excitement that I’m sure thrilled and inspired people to venture themselves.

During the Age of Exploration,artists became crucially important members of scientific expeditions.Researchers relied on painters to depict plants and animals as they studied new species and, in the following centuries, sweeping landscapes as they explored new terrain.As scientific pursuits changed, so too did the compositions.Fealty to scientific accuracy was a hallmark of early expedition painting, often at the expense of artistic vision. Sometimes professional artists were engaged, but on most occasions naval officers were trained in drawing and cartography and to develop their powers of observation-and it was they who not only mapped the routes they took, but also created a visual record of the ethnography, flora, fauna, geography and topography of the places they visited. Artists often kept journals or sketchbooks, which they would use on site.Specimens of local plants would often be collected and taken home so that they could be both displayed and copied in more detail.Today painters continue to join researchers in the field, whether through individual partnerships or artist-in-residence programs, acting as storytellers more than data collectors.The painters have artistic freedom, sometimes even shifting into the abstract. It’s a role that requires recording but also interpreting complex, changing phenomena as well as raising awareness through media.Famous explorer artists were Charles Heaphy,John Webber,William Hodges,John Buchanan,John White,Thomas Harriot,Robert Dodd,Alfred Sharpe,Samuel Thomas Gill,Rick Guidice,Don Davis,Amelia Cary,Robert Talbot Kelly,Johan Zoffany,Edward Wilson,Edward Duncan,James Atkinson,George Chinnery,Richard Caton Woodville Jr,François Musin,George Heriot,Emily Carr,Josephine Crease,George Back,John Glover,Edwin Landseer,Thomas Davies,Lucius O'Brien,John Arthur Fraser,John Alexander Gilfillan,Conrad Martens,Thomas William Bowler,Thomas Baines,Augustus Earle and Wouter Schouten etc.These artist explorers' work serve as a time capsule of a place, offering glimpses of beauty amid duty, compassion through hardship and, perhaps, the unknown.

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is subtitled “Painting the New World” and presents the experiences of artists who were an essential part of scientific expeditions exploring distant lands in the times before photography. These mostly men, recorded, documented and preserved, in words and images, early impressions of the New World for a curious public at home and for scientific reference. The beauty and drama of these paintings, drawings and descriptions of events nicely captures the sense of wonder they must have evoked with the public at home.

Each chapter is related to a geographic area and the artists that first documented these lands, peoples and events. For example, North America, Southern Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. It is a relatively short book of some 160 pages, including 140 images.

The people, locations and events are very much related to the English speaking world and to a large extent British explorers and future colonies. In such a small book, the events and images captured represent of course a very limited impression of what the explorers encountered. Some context and background is presented however this is a little superficial and certainly not comprehensive history. Overall, the artwork displayed is somewhat pedestrian and utilitarian. Not bad art but neither is it great art or by well known artists.

To some extent, the text dominates the book with the imagery secondary. In fact some of the written accounts of the early explorers, the hardships and experiences, are more memorable than the images displayed. For example, the disappearance of one of the first European settlements on Roanoke Island, in what is now the United States. Also memorable is the account and imagery related to the ill-fated Franklin expedition in what is now Canada. Perhaps most memorable is the story of the final expedition of British Explorer Robert Falcon Scott, to the South Pole. Sketches, diary entries and final letters to loved ones are particularly moving, given the sad outcome for Scott and his men.

The overall tone of the book is a little dated, colonial and superior. Perhaps ‘of its time’ as contemporaneous accounts and descriptions are often used. A pleasant book to read through but perhaps too ambitious in attempting to capture both the artwork and experiences of so many early explorers in so many parts of the New World.

James Cook and his botanist Joseph Banks had artists Alexander Buchan and Sydney Parkinson on board for their initial voyage to the South Seas. Buchan’s first pictures were of the natives of Tierra del Fuego as the Endeavour rounded Cape Horn but tragically within a month he died, apparently of epilepsy. Thomas Baines travelled with Livingstone while Charles Heaphy in New Zealand and the Governor's wife in India were amongst many others who produced drawings and paintings.
The many fine works in this book fashioned the British public's image of their countrymen’s discoveries and, later, of the lives of those who remained in these faraway places. Right up to the start of the 20th century their publication in the illustrated papers of the day became the core of popular appreciation.

The author here has created a beautiful, informative and very knowledgeable book detailing those artists who travelled around the globe capturing beautiful and vibrant visions of the New Worlds existing beyond the shores of Britain up to the early 20th Century. Even allowing for artistic licence, to which the author admits, this book is a feast for the senses. Well written narrative and clear illustrations combine into a great read and also a stunning coffee table book. Grateful thanks to Pen & Sword and Netgalley for the chance to review the Artistic Explorers.

Tales of adventure and discovery, but this time focusing on journeys made by artists. This beautifully illustrated book has a high picture to writing ratio, with good quality full colour reproductions. Some of the artists I was familiar with, but there were many I had never heard of. The book is well written and very interesting, but it is the artwork that steals the show. A wonderful book to have in a travel library.

In The Artist Explorers by John Fairley A book about the artist that accompanied explorers and documented what they saw. In paintings, sketching‘s and drawings they brought the world to England in a way words cannot. From America Australia South Africa the continent of Africa Afghanistan and on and on it seems every adventurer took an Artist along and here we are hundreds of years later still benefiting from those brave men because unfortunately throughout this whole book I heard no women spoken of . Although I don’t believe that is the fault of the author because he only documented what is RESEARCH told him and boy did he do some research they had some really great stories in this book. I started reading it this morning and didn’t stop until it was over and couldn’t wait to see what else John fairly has written. There’s also bright bold photos of the art mentioned an even for this legally blind reader found it to be such a treat to be able to see it. I do wish his other books would be an e-book form or audio so I could read them but a last like most non-fiction writers they are not but I as for this one I loved it it was a total five star read and one IAM so fortunate I got to read.. I want to thank pin and sword history
And Net galley for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This volume features some of the beautiful and illuminating artworks created by the artists who traveled with European explorers. It also includes excerpts of the writings of the explorers. These histories are fascinating but often horrifyingly colonialist. It's a startling look into the minds of the Europeans of this era.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.