Charles-Alexandre Lesueur

IVAN BARKO, Foreword

COLIN NETTELBECK, French-Australian Relations – Towards an Historical Perspective

The author argues the need for the construction of a full-scale historical overview of French-Australian relations. In analysing a broad range of the achievements of French-Australian studies as a field of scholarship, it sketches out some of the areas where work still needs to be undertaken, and proposes some general structures to guide the development of the synthesis.

Keywords: French voyages of discovery in the Pacific, French presence in Australia, migration, relationship through trade, diplomacy, Alliance Française, academic study, arts and culture

MARGARET SANKEY, Mirroring the Archives – the Writing of Australian History and the Baudin Expedition

Using her expertise as one of the leaders of the Baudin Legacy Project, the author recounts the history of work on both British and French archival material relevant to Australian history. The use of digital technology has expanded the availability of archival resources to researchers in this country and elsewhere.

Keywords: archival resources, Baudin expedition, Comte Alphonse de Fleurieu, Société de Géographie, Joint Copying Project, Baudin Legacy Project, microfilm, digitization, Archives Nationales

THIERRY VINCENT, The Charles-Alexandre Lesueur Special Collections Before, During and After the Second World War

This article focusses on one of the most significant components of the archives of the Baudin expedition, namely the invaluable Lesueur special collections, and tells the story of their fate before, during and after the Second World War.

Keywords: Charles-Alexandre Lesueur, Baudin expedition, Muséum d’histoire naturelle of Le Havre, Muséum national d’histoire naturelle (Paris), World War II

CLAIRE EDWARDS and KERRY MULLAN, Migration of Young French Professionals to Australia

This article presents the results of a research project on the reactions of young French professionals in Australia on a working visa to their new surroundings. The project explores both the economic outcome of their venture and the psychological aspects of their integration, or lack of it, into the Australian working environment.

Keywords: economic migration, lifestyle, liveability, workplace culture, working holiday visas, Temporary Work (skilled) visas

STEPHEN ALOMES, Le Mal napoléonien and the Global Malaise. A Jospin Festival in Melbourne

This article reflects on former French socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin’s visit to Australia in December 2014 and his recently published book, Le Mal napoléonien.

Keywords: Lionel Jospin, Paul Keating, Napoléon’s myth and legacy, Tom Nairn, European imperialism, political disengagement, the legacy of the Enlightenment.

MARGARET SANKEY, The State Visit to Australia of the French President, François Hollande

A report on the first French presidential visit to this country in November 2014, by François Hollande, focusing on his visit to Sydney and the lunch held in his honour at Kirribilli House.

Keywords: François Hollande, G20 meeting in Brisbane, French businesses in Australia, relationship between France and Australia

PATRICIA CLANCY, Pierre Ryckmans, China Specialist, Public Intellectual and Author of a Minor Literary Masterpiece

PATRICIA CLANCY, Colin Thornton-Smith, a Scholar of French Language and Literature, Astralian Catholicism and French-Australian History

BOOK REVIEWS AND NOTES

Michael Pembroke, Arthur Phillip: Sailor, Mercenary, Governor, Spy, reviewed by Edward Duyker

Edward Duyker, Dumont d’Urville: Explorer & Polymath, reviewed by John Dunmore

Paul de Pierres, Allies Forever / Alliés pour toujours: A record of war service by Frenchmen and Belgians from Australia, note by Elaine Lewis

Ben McCann, Ripping Open the Set: French Film Design, 1930–1939 (New Studies in European Cinema), note by John Emerson

ELAINE LEWIS, French-Australian Bibliographical Notes

JANA VIERHOVEN, Foreword

Errata (Explorations 53)

THIERRY VINCENT, An 1802 Aboriginal Necklace rediscovered in the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle of Le Havre

The author, who is a curator at the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle du Havre, recounts the story of a forgotten Aboriginal necklace he rediscovered in the Museum’s collections in 2005. He argues that, contrary to its labelling, which indicates a New Caledonian provenance, the artefact was acquired at Port Jackson in 1802 by artist and naturalist Charles-Alexandre Lesueur, a member of the Baudin expedition. After his death the necklace was eventually incorporated into the collections of the Museum. Thierry Vincent traces not only the itinerary of the necklace but also the changing fortunes of the Museum in war and peace.

Keywords: Aboriginal artefacts, Charles-Alexandre Lesueur, Nicholas Baudin, Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle of Le Havre, Eugène Delessert, Josephine Bonaparte

SABINE COTTE, ‘Destins croisés’ in Australia: Art Conservation with Mirka Mora

The author is a French art conservator who lives and works in Melbourne. She presents an account of her collaboration with Mirka Mora, a celebrated artist and Melbourne icon, also of French background. Through case studies of three public artworks, the author sheds light on the respective importance of a collaborative approach to conservation, where the original intention of the artist is respected. She also highlights the importance of materials, as well as time constraints and cultural sensitivities.

Keywords: Mirka Mora, public artworks, art conservation

JACQUELINE MACNAUGHTAN, ‘Pour l’Art’: An Artist’s Family

This article traces the story of the author’s great-aunt Adélaïde (Ada) Hautrive-Leysalle. Ada, whose father was a French wool buyer and mother a New Zealander, grew up in Australia and France. Based on her letters and diary entries, the story describes her relationship with her parents, her siblings and other members of the family as well as her tormented marriage to French sculptor Émile Leysalle.

Keywords: nineteenth century French family life, Émile Leysalle, Marceau Hautrive

LINDA, STEPHEN & SARA ROSENMAN, Helen Rosenman (1921–2009) Obituary

JULIET FLESCH, Ivan Page (1938–2012) Obituary

KERRY MULLAN, ISFAR French Jazz Evening

A note about the French Jazz evening held by ISFAR in late 2012.

KERRY MULLAN, Dialogues: The Melbourne French Salon 2012

A note about the establishment of a Melbourne Salon modelled on the Sydney Salon and on the evenings held during the year.

BOOK REVIEWS

Peter McPhee, Robespierre: A Revolutionary Life, reviewed by Robert Aldrich

John S. McKenzie, Images of Bodily Mechanics: The Institut Marey, Paris, 1902–1977, reviewed by Andrew Bendrups

ELAINE LEWIS, French-Australian Bibliographical Notes