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Gerard Krefft: a Singular Man

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Gerard Krefft: a Singular Man GERARD KREFFT: A SINGULAR MAN JENNY NANCARROW PO Box 296, Gloucester, NSW 2422, Australia. NANCARROW, J., 2009. Gerard Krefft: A singular man. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 121(1): 146–154. ISSN 0035-9211. The life of Gerard Krefft, artist and second in command of the expedition to the Murray River, pro- vides rich opportunity for reflection. This paper highlights the more memorable events of Krefft’s personal life as well as his scientific achievements and how he helped bring Australian science to the notice of the world. Krefft had remarkable zoological and ethnographic abilities and many scientific achievements are attributable to his efforts. He was critical of Blandowski and later won international recognition for his scientific work and for the Australian Museum. However, conflicts with the Museum Trustees came to a head in 1875 and Krefft was forcibly removed in tragic circumstances. His dismissal, the inquiry, the court case and personal life are examined through a combination of published sources and personal letters. Key words: Johann Ludwig Gerard Krefft, Australian zoologist, museum administration, German scientists in Australia. Krefft’s earlY YEARS ventures, from Melbourne to Lake Boga (Iredale & Whitley 1932:90-2; Krefft n.d., see Allen, this vol- JOHANN LUDWIG GERARD KREFFT (1830- ume). Krefft was the only member of the original party 1881) was born in Brunswick, Germany on 17 Feb- who stayed the whole distance (Iredale & Whitley ruary 1830, the son of confectioner William Krefft 1932:90-2; Krefft n.d., see Allen, this volume). Never- and Johanna nee Buschoff (Kerr 1992:437). From theless, after the expedition he received a testimonial the age of fifteen, he worked as a merchant’s clerk in from Blandowski. Hoping to gain Museum employ- Halberstadt. At twenty he immigrated to New York to ment, he presented this to Professor McCoy, who en- avoid the military draft. It has been stated before that gaged him to catalogue the specimens collected. He Krefft studied at Berlin University (Whitley 1958- worked on this until he returned to Germany in 1858. 9:23), but this is unsubstantiated and Krefft never Also in 1858, Krefft exhibited a number of drawings at claimed to have had a university education – rather, the Victorian Industrial Society Exhibition and these he prided himself on being self-educated, through received good reviews (Kerr 1992:437). books and correspondence. In New York, he raised Following news of the death of his father, Krefft his fare to Australia by copying Audubon plates and returned to Germany. Travelling via England, Krefft selling them. Reaching Melbourne in November introduced himself to eminent scientists at the Brit- 1852, he worked as a miner at several goldfields for ish Museum. These included Gould, Gray, Günther five years (Whitley 1958-9:23).1 He then returned to and Owen. At the Zoological Society Krefft pre- Melbourne, and ‘… having made some money ap- sented a paper on the Chestnut-crowned Babbler of plied myself to studying at the Public Library where Victoria. In so doing, he brought himself to the no- I copied many of Gould’s sketches of Australian ani- tice of many leading zoologists of the day (Krefft mals’ (Krefft’s evidence for an inquiry into the Aus- 1858). While in Germany, he visited many other mu- tralian Museum c.18742). It was while he was at the seums and universities, making himself known to Public Library that he was noticed by Blandowski various scientists. With several he made arrange- (Curator at the new Museum of Natural History, now ments to exchange specimens with the Melbourne Melbourne Museum), who engaged Krefft to accom- Museum, and wrote to McCoy advising him of this. pany him on an expedition to the junction of the He bought a large collection of minerals with ‘splen- Lower Murray and Darling Rivers, leaving Mel- did specimens from the mines of the Harz’, which he bourne on 6 December 1856. expected to (exchange or sell) to McCoy. He had his Krefft was unimpressed by Blandowski. Possibly photograph taken in Berlin, showing him to be quite the main source of friction between the two men was prosperous and also perhaps having enjoyed the good that both had inflated egos. Krefft was the author of an life of Europe for the past year (Mitchell Library of unpublished, but highly critical, ‘narrative’ which plot- the State Library of New South Wales Photo L ted the expedition’s journey through a series of misad- PXA1032:19). 146 GERARD KREFFT: A SINGULAR MAN 147 It was on this trip to Germany that relations with of a cheerful disposition and willing to assist Blandowski became severely strained. In 1859 Krefft wherever my services may be required. My sold his manuscript and sketches of the expedition to sketches you have seen before, but I shall send the publisher Perthes in Gotha, who paid £30 for it. some specimens of my drawing if you should When Blandowski learnt about this, he went to Gotha wish it. Having a thorough knowledge of our and threatened the editor with legal action if he pub- Australian fauna and being able to skin and pre- lished Krefft’s material, which remains unpublished serve specimens of natural history in the most to this day (Letter, Krefft to McCoy, 7 August 1860, approved way, I beg to enclose copy and original Melbourne Museum). Disputes over the illustrations letter from John Gould Esq. and also a recom- and notes emerged while Blandowski was in Mel- mendation from Professor Dove of the Berlin bourne. While the mammal and bird specimens from University. Please reply to me care of Dr Bennett the expedition were delivered to the museum, there in Sydney as I am anxious to know whether there was a dispute between the Victorian Government and is any chance of my services being accepted. Blandowski over the ownership of papers and illus- (Letter to the Exploration Committee, April trations (Allen 2006; Paszkowski 1967:160-2). Kr- 1860, State Records of South Australia). efft was the artist responsible for many of the In Sydney, Krefft presented his overseas letters sketches that Blandowski took to Germany. It was of accreditation to Governor Denison, who offered these sketches, redrafted by Gustav Mützel, which him the position of Assistant Curator at the Austral- are the basis for most of the illustrations in Bland- ian Museum. Accepting the post, Krefft withdrew his owski’s Australien (Allen 2006:28, this volume). application to the Exploration Committee. Had he While the natural history illustrations have survived gone with Burke and Wills, his experience of Abo- in the historical collections of the National History riginal bushcraft might have averted the expedition’s Museum, Berlin, Krefft’s ethnological sketches sur- tragic outcome (Bonyhady 2002). vive only through Mützel’s copies. There is, however, William Sharp Macleay, eldest son of Alexander a small portfolio of Krefft’s sketches, woodcuts and Macleay was then one of the Trustees of the Mu- watercolours from the Murray River expedition in seum, and he objected strongly when he heard about the collections of the State Library of New South Denison’s appointment of Krefft, insisting that the Wales (Allen 2006:24). position be advertised. It was, and Krefft was duly Through introductions to Binder and Godeffroy, appointed. W.S. Macleay was already ill – he retired Krefft gained a posting as collector for the German as a Trustee in 1862 and died in 1865.3 Museums Commission and received a living allow- The Museum’s Curator, Simon Pittard, was ill ance and a First Class passage back to Melbourne with tuberculosis and living in the Museum with his aboard a ship belonging to J.C. Godeffroy and Sons large family when Krefft arrived. Krefft’s first (Whitley 1958-9:23). This was in return for an agree- months were spent painting religious texts and illus- ment to supply these museums with Australian speci- trations on the Museum’s Boardroom walls to satisfy mens. Krefft did this and the debt was written off in Mrs Pittard, a follower of the Rev. Pusey (Strahan 1862 (Whitley 1958-9:23). 1967:26). Pittard was brought out from England Returning to Adelaide in April 1860, Krefft met upon the recommendations of George Macleay Ludwig Becker, who mentioned the Exploration (brother to W.S. Macleay) and Dr George Bennett - Committee planning an expedition from the south to who were both in London at the time - and Sir Rich- the north of the continent: the Burke and Wills Expe- ard Owen of the British Museum. dition (Becker, who joined it, was the oldest in the Other employees lived on the premises and Kr- party and the first to die). Krefft applied to the Com- efft also moved in. Krefft liked Pittard and they got mittee, offering himself in whatever capacity he on well, having many discussions of an evening in might be used: their private quarters. Pittard was excellent at pre- …as a draughtsman and collector or in any ca- senting the evening lectures held regularly at the Mu- pacity your Committee of the gentleman in com- seum. Unfortunately, his health did not improve as mand may think fit to entrust me with. expected in the Sydney air, and he died about a year Accustomed to the hardship of bush life and used later, leaving Krefft to become Acting Curator, a po- to the food of the natives with whom I have sition he held for three years, whilst the Trustees and hunted for some time, able to drive bullocks or the Government argued back and forth as to who had horses or to keep for months in the saddle, I am the responsibility for the appointment.
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