Charles Napier Sturt

Inscriptionback to top

Inscribed on the spine of the top book in the pile of three, to the left of the sitter: EXPED[ITION]/[presumably INTO]/SOUTHERN/ AUSTRALIA and on the spine of the lowest book: SOUTH AUSTR[ALIAN]/LEGISLATIVE AND/...[illegible, presumably EXECUTIVE]/COUNCIL PAP[ERS]/1853

This portraitback to top

This is a replica of the three-quarter length portrait in the Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. The top book in the pile of three in the Adelaide portrait is inscribed: 'EXPEDI[TION]/INTO/SOUTHE[RN]/AUSTRA[LIA]/CAP STURT/VOL II/'; this is a copy of Sturt's famous travel book, published in 1834. The lowest book is inscribed: 'SOUTH AUSTRA[LIAN]/LEGISLAT[IVE COUNCIL?]/VOTES OF PRO[CEEDURE?]/C[?]/1852;' this must have been a volume containing 'Votes and Procedures and Council Papers of the Legislative Council of South Australia'. [1]
A half-length version of the portrait is also in the Art Gallery of South Australia, reproduced Mrs Napier Sturt, frontispiece, and a copy was presented to Sturt's daughter. Mrs Sturt gives the date of the half-length portrait as c.1849, but it almost certainly post-dates the larger version, which cannot be earlier than 1852.

Footnotesback to top

1) I am most grateful to R. G. Appleyard of the Art Gallery of South Australia for providing transcripts of these inscriptions.

Referenceback to top

Sturt 1899
Mrs Napier G. Sturt, Life of Charles Sturt (1899), p 384.

Physical descriptionback to top

Healthy complexion, blue eyes, light brown hair. Dressed in a black stock and neck-tie, white shirt, yellow waistcoat, dark green jacket and trousers. Standing in front of a green armchair on the right, leaning his hand on a red-covered table, with green, red and blue books, and a large piece of white paper. Background colour, various shades of brown.

Provenanceback to top

The sitter, presented by his grandson, Geoffrey C. N. Sturt, 1946.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Ormond, Early Victorian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1973, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.

View all known portraits for Charles Napier Sturt