Design and Art Australia Online

sketcher and engraver, was in Sydney in 1855 initialling sketches engraved in the Illustrated Sydney News . Brown Gannett and a view of Melbourne’s Olympic Theatre affectionately known as the Iron Pot were published in the ISN of 7 June 1855, Percy Island and Collision, Steamers, Parramatta River (NSW) on 16 June and Garden Island (showing the tombs of Judge Ellis Bent and Brevet-Major John Ovens) on 23 June. C. Roper also engraved the cover illustration drawn by 'Read’ (evidently James A. Read ) for the four issues of the short-lived Sydney Punch published in January 1857. His first illustration, which appeared in the second issue (10 January), was after Read, then he apparently engraved his own illustrations for the last two issues (17 & 24 January) since Beyond the Ranges , Fair Betting and The Mayoral Candidate Instructing his Canvassers are just initialled 'C.R.’. C. Roper also seems to have made the original drawing for the lithographic view of the wreck of the Dunbar published as a supplement to Bradshaw’s Railway Guide (Sydney 1857), although the signature is indistinct.

He later moved to Melbourne and engraved for the Illustrated Melbourne Post ; 'C.R.’ initialled a well-detailed view of the Tasmanian court at the 1866 Melbourne Intercolonial Exhibition published on 24 January 1867 and a portrait of Rev. H. Dowling of Launceston, father of Robert Dowling , published 13 August 1868. In 1888 'C. Roper’ was listed as both artist and exhibitor of Early Digging Scene in Victoria at the Centennial International Exhibition in Melbourne, but this was certainly a misprint for Edward Roper . There was early speculation that C.Roper and Edward Roper may have been the same person but this has been proven to be incorrect. They may have have been related however as there are clear connections between them.

ADDITIONAL (ABRIDGED) MATERIAL FROM JOAN KERR’S BLACK AND WHITE FILES:

engraver and cartoonist, engraved cartoons for J. Read and apparently drew cartoons of his own for the final two issues of Sydney Punch in January 1857, e.g. The Mayoral Candidate Instructing his Canvassers , initialled 'C.R.’. Roper worked on the Illustrated Melbourne Post c.1867-68.

DAA entry speculated that C. Roper was the same person as Edward Roper: now known to have been a different person, but could be a relative.

Writers:

Staff Writer

Date written:

1992

Last updated:

1989