Cape Views and Costumes. (Includes De Meillon's People of Coulour- 16 pages- by Robert C.-H Shell)

Cape Views and Costumes by Henry Clifford de Meillon is the third volume in the Brenthurst Series. It will be an attractive work profusely illustrated with the colourplates of De Meillon's water-colours which capture so well the charm of pre-Victorian Cape Town.

The artist H.C.de Meillon came to South Africa while a young Second Lieutenant of the Royal Navy as a member of Captain Owen's famous survey of the eastern coast of Africa. He was invalided out of the Navy at Simon's Town in 1823 as a result of having contracted malaria at Delagoa Bay. De Meillon then remained at the Cape where he put his able talents as a draughtsman to account. This series of 23 water-colours which he painted of the buildings of Cape Town and of the 64 costume plates of the city's inhabitants displays the same affection for their subject which characterizes the work of Sir Charles D'Oyly and , 25 years later, of Thomas Bowler. The book constitutes a valuable social record of permanent worth.

De Meillon's work is represented in the Africana Museum, Johannesburg and in the Fehr Collection at Rust-en-Vreugd, Cape Town. Most of the water-colours reproduced in Cape Views and Costumes were acquired by Sir Ernest Oppenheimer in the 1930s and this publication of De Meillon's delightful paintings will be welcomed by a new generation of Africana collectors and art lovers

Also with this volume is included- De Meillon's People of Colour, by Robert C.-H. Shell. A paper  and wire illustrated wrap- 16 pages. Some notes on their dress and occupations with special reference to Cape Views and Costumes

Original red-brown boards, with gilt lettering to spine. Dust cover protected in loose mylar cover.850 copies standard edition. Unnumbered. Halftitle. Colour Frontispiece. Title. Contents. Acknowledgements. 134 pages text supporting colour plates, data and information.

Fine