Five Views of Nova Scotia

Location

Country: Other
City: storage

These five images show cliffs and islands in the province of Nova Scotia, located on the southeastern coast of Canada. Lettering beneath each image tells us that the locations include views of Cape Doré, reportedly named Doré (unrefined gold) because the yellow clay it is composed of reflects like gold when struck by the sun; and Isle Haute (meaning high), so named because of its height above sea level.

The British seized the region of Nova Scotia from French control between 1713 and 1760, and, in 1749, established a new capital to the province, at Halifax.

Colonial official and hydrographer Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Barres was born to a Huguenot family. He was educated in Basel but trained at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. In 1756 he became a Lieutenant in the Royal Americans and left for North America. He served at the siege of Louisbourg (1758), in campaigns of 1759 and 1760, worked on defences at Halifax (1761) and surveyed the coast of Nova Scotia (1764-73). In 1774 he returned to England. His drawings were published as ‘The Atlantic Neptune’ (1774-84). In 1778 he published ‘Nautical Remarks on the Coasts and Harbours of Nova Scotia’. He acquired land in Canada and was promoted to Colonel in 1798, and appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Prince Edward Island at 82. He died aged 102.

Places

Canada, Cape d'Or, Cape Blomidon, Isle Haute, Cape Split, Nova Scotia, Atlantic Ocean, Minas Basin, Bay of Fundy, North Atlantic

Subjects

rowing boat, topography, seascape/coastal scene, sea, cliff, ship

Materials & Techniques

aquatint, coloured aquatint

Artist

Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Barres (1722 - 1824)

Title

Five Views of Nova Scotia

Date

published 1 December 1780

Medium

Coloured aquatint

Dimensions

height: 65.80 cm, width: 54.60 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from the Parker Gallery, June 1960

GAC number

5207