Skip to main content
Menu

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

The Gallery’s Acknowledgement of Country, and information on culturally sensitive and restricted content and the use of historic language in the collection can be found here.

George and Jemima Billet with family

c. 1852
C.H.T. Costantini

watercolour on paper (frame: 38.7 cm x 34.2 cm depth 1 cm, sheet: 28.0 cm x 23.0 cm)

Charles Henry Theodore Costantini was a Paris-born surgeon of Italian descent who was twice transported to the Australian colonies. In 1823, convicted of theft, he was banished to New South Wales for life but served only two years before being granted a pardon. Shortly after his return to England he was convicted of theft again and sent to Van Diemen’s Land, arriving in Hobart in 1827. 'Disposed to be very troublesome', Costantini re-offended and was sent to the penal station at Macquarie Harbour, where the camp commandant employed him to make sketches. At Port Arthur from 1831, he worked as an assistant surgeon. He gained his freedom in March 1834 and by 1838 was in Launceston, advertising his availability for the execution of 'portraits in the most correct style'. Between this time and the mid-1850s, Costantini produced some 60 portraits and landscapes, mainly in watercolour, and often for clients of middling or ex-convict stock. George Billet, a farmer and landowner at Sorell, was the son of convicts, as was his wife Jemima. Costantini's portrait shows them with seven of the eleven children Jemima had between 1836 and 1858.

Purchased 2016

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.
Audio description icon

Audio description


Show transcript

Artist and subject

C.H.T. Costantini (age 49 in 1852)

George Bellette (age 40 in 1852)

Jemima Bellette (age 34 in 1852)

Subject professions

Agriculture and farming

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency