Out from the shadows. John Mitchell Cantle 1849 – 1919 : Australia’s first native-born ornithological draughtsman

Sydney : The Australiana Society Inc., 2023. Quarto, illustrated wrappers, pp. 176, illustrated. New copy.

‘An illustrated work documenting the Australian John Mitchell Cantle and his bird illustrations. He was an architectural draughtsman and railway surveyor, but is best known as an ornithological painter, illustrator, cartoonist and postcard designer.’ – Trove

‘Mark Cabouret is a man on a mission. He has devoted many years and no little expense to develop, within a wider audience, an appreciation of the works of Australia’s earliest bird illustra- tors. Out from the shadows focuses on one of the least-recognised of these individuals, John Mitchell Cantle (1849–1919). The story of Cantle’s life is presented in 10 chapters, each of which deals separately with relevant aspects of his life, the social, artistic and scientific background to his work, and the variety of forms in which he displayed his artistry … Although ostensibly a biography of Cantle, in this homage the author has chosen to keep his narrative to a minimum, perhaps to give greater emphasis to his subject’s artistic output. In this way John Mitchell Cantle can speak for himself through his artistry. To this end, the book is profusely illustrated, with 681 plates, all of which have been expertly and faithfully reproduced. Each of these plates is also meticulously referenced in its caption. The result of this exacting work by Mark Cabouret is a volume that will be cherished by historians of natural history illustration, by naturalists with an interest in Australian avian species, and by anyone who is interested in the study of Australia’s birdlife.’ – Gary Presland, Book Review in The Victorian Naturalist, Volume 141 (2), April 2, pp. 62-63