Billy Blue 'The old Commodore'.

Primary Artist

Charles Rodius (1802–1860)

Title

Billy Blue 'The old Commodore'.

Source

Date made

26 July 1834 (first noted)

Place made

Warrane / Sydney, New South Wales, Australia View on map Close map

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Category

Print

Print type

planographic

Technique

pen-lithograph, printed in black ink, from one stone

Text printed from matrix

printed lower right within image: 'C Rodius / 1834'
printed lower center below image: 'BILLY BLUE / "THE OLD COMMODORE" / Goddard. Publisher. Sydney'

Matrix size

26.0 x 21.0 cm (printed image)

Support

paper

State

published state

Impression

undesignated impression as issued

Edition information

print run unknown

Production notes

Could this be the print published by Maclehose 2 May 1834 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/42008365

Inscriptions or device subsequently added to the work

printed stamp lower left in red ink, 'W.D. [within oval]'.

Subject description

Portrait of the Jamaican ex-convict boatman William Blue (1767?-1834), known as Billy Blue, the old commodore. He died on the 5 May 1834

Collection

State Library of New South Wales

Accession number

DL Pe 4

Provenance

William Dixson

Web address

https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/nV2qexJn

Country of context

Australia

Creators

Rodius, Charles. | (1802–1860) Australian | German | Male | artist

Goddard, Charles. | (1823–1867) Australian | English | Male | publisher

Last Updated

06 Nov 2025