Wainewright In Tasmania
By Robert Crossland
Published by Oxford University Press: Melbourne 1954 1st Edition
"Robert Crossland's Wainewright in Tasmania (Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1954, First Edition) is a compelling biographical study of one of the most enigmatic and unsettling figures of the nineteenth century—Thomas Griffiths Wainewright: aesthete, painter, forger, and reputed poisoner. A friend of literary figures such as Charles Lamb, Wainewright's cultivated life in England ended in disgrace, culminating in his transportation to Van Diemen's Land in 1837. Crossland revisits this complex and often mythologised character with a measured, archival approach, drawing on Tasmanian records that had long been overlooked or presumed lost.
The work is particularly significant for its focus on Wainewright's final decade in Tasmania, a period previously obscured by speculation and literary embellishment. Here, Crossland reconstructs the convict's life with clarity—first as a transported prisoner, then as a ticket-of-leave man attempting to re-establish himself as an artist. The inclusion of reproduced portraits attributed to Wainewright adds a visual dimension to the narrative, reinforcing both his artistic talent and the enduring intrigue surrounding his character. Crossland's careful scholarship challenges earlier portrayals, including Oscar Wilde's famous depiction of Wainewright as "the subtlest of poisoners," offering instead a more nuanced and evidentially grounded account.
Elegantly produced by Oxford University Press, this first edition stands as an important contribution to both Australian colonial history and the study of literary criminals whose reputations straddle fact and legend. Its combination of biography, art history, and archival rediscovery makes it a particularly appealing volume for collectors of Tasmanian history, students of early Australian convict narratives, and those fascinated by the darker intersections of art, crime, and reputation.
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Light wear and fading to dustjacket. No inscriptions. Some deterioration to outer spine label (hidden behind dustjacket). A nice clean copy in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
