De Meillon's Legacy

DE MEILLON’S LEGACY - ART, SCIENCE AND WAR

Henry Clifford De Meillon (1800-1859) is recognised as one the most significant South African artists of the early 19th century. Anna Smith’s Cape Views and Costumes (1978) reproduced works from the Brenthurst Library and tried to establish facts behind his life but left many unanswered questions.

The authors have addressed most of these with newly discovered records. In addition to new research discoveries, a large body of unpublished art works by De Meillon were found and are reproduced here, including hydrographic charts and coastal views done aboard HMS Leven, Cape wild flowers, views of the Cape, as well as later paintings from the eastern Cape wild frontier.

These add significantly to the portfolio of De Meillon’s known art, increasing his stature as an important South African artist. Many of the puzzles about his life and family have also been solved. The De Meillon family typifies many South African families. Their origins are diverse, and by the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War, descendants found themselves on opposing sides of the conflict. Later generations of De Meillons made significant contributions to Science and Art, such as the world-renowned entomologist, Botha De Meillon, and his daughter, the artist Mimi Cabri. This book is a tribute to the lasting legacy of Henry Clifford De Meillon, progenitor of the family in South Africa and beyond.