DUNNETT, Frank George (1822-1891) — Hobart
Painter, surveyor and lithographer; drawing master. Lithographed Charles Gould, Map of a portion of Western Tasmania 1860; William Charles Pinguenit, Walch’s map of the seat of war in New Zealand 1863; Map of Hobart Town 1866, etc. Also known for portraits, topographical views, sheet music covers, etc.
Born in Glasgow, and presumably related to the bookselling family of that name. Dunnett studied medicine before becoming an artist, given tuition by local artists before studying at the Royal Academy Schools under J. M. W. Turner. He subsequently worked for William Day 2 (see BME 2011). An asthmatic, he was encouraged to leave Britain for a more benign climate, which he found first in Melbourne in 1856 and soon after in Tasmania, working for the Hobart Survey Office. The Hobart Town Courier 12 Nov 1858 reported that “it is no disparagement to our old lithographists whose merits have been cheerfully and freely acknowledged by the colonial press and the public patrons of their art, to congratulate them upon the accession to their ranks in the person of Mr F. Dunnett, from Days of London, who has drawn on stone a portion of Chalmers’ Free Church and Manse in a manner which has never been equalled in the colony”. In 1866 he exhibited at the Melbourne Intercolonial Exhibition and was awarded a highly commended certificate for a sketch. He worked in New Zealand for a time, marrying Ann (Annie) Jane Hodgson (1828-1882) at Dunedin 19 Jan 1874, after which he returned to Hobart. Dunnett died of influenza and pneumonia at Hobart 12 Oct 1891 and was buried at Davey Street Congregational Cemetery. A will survives in Tasmania archives.
144 Macquarie Street, Hobart — 1891
DAAO. Tooley. Trove.