Letters to London: Louisa Anne Meredith’s contribution to scientific knowledge through her paintings of Tasmanian fish

Louisa Anne Meredith’s successful career as a writer, artist and naturalist has in many respects been well documented. She won numerous national and international awards for her botanical drawings and paintings, and her work as a natural history illustrator has received wide acclaim. Less known, however, is that Meredith’s meticulous illustrations of Tasmanian indigenous fish played a key role in bringing Tasmanian fish to the notice of the scientific world, not only in Tasmania and Australia, but internationally. Letters throwing light on this achievement have been catalogued by the Natural History Museum, London, but appear not to have come to the previous attention of any historian or helped elevate her work as contributing to scientific knowledge.

Key Words: Louisa Anne Meredith, fish paintings, Royal Society of Tasmania, Dr A Günther, Professor F McCoy, Morton Allport, natural history illustration, British Museum, Natural History Museum.