Primary Artist

E.D. Barlow (1808–1881)

Title

A view near Beverley Park. The ass that thought himself a lion.

Date made

15 January 1839 (first noted)

Place made

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

Category

Print

Print type

planographic

Technique

lithograph, printed in black ink, from one zinc plate

Support

paper

State

published state

Impression

undesignated impression as issued

Edition information

edition unknown

Production notes

There are at least three portraits of the poet Beverley Suttor. They are sometimes conflated:

The first was issued as the frontispiece for ‘Original Poetry by Beverley Suttor’ (Sydney: James Tegg, 1838) a self-published deluxe publication. See ‘Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser’ (15 November 1838, p. 2) that notes the portrait is ‘neatly executed from zinc by Mr. Barlow’ and the ‘Colonist’ (28 November 1838, p. 3), that notes that the pamphlet includes a zincographed portrait of the author remarking - ‘The portrait it is true, looks more like the head of a bearded Brigand, than of a British Bard’.

The second is a response to the perceived excesses of ‘Original Poetry by Beverley Suttor’ taking the form of a caricature. ‘A view near Beverley Park. The ass that thought himself a lion’ was published by Barlow and sold cheaply for 6 pence. (‘Sydney Gazette’, 15 January 1839, page 2, column 6).

The third is a portrait by Charles Rodius in an unknown medium and exhibited shortly after his return from Melbourne. ‘At Tegg's Fancy Bazaar, is now on view, the portrait of Beverly Suttor, Esq., by Rhodius.’ (‘Australian’, 21 September 1842, p. 2).

[Roger Butler, 10 January 2026].

Subject description

Portrait caricature of the Australian poet William Beverley Suttor (1805-1882).

Country of context

Australia

Last Updated

10 Jan 2026