Exquisite illustrations by French artists made during Nicolas Baudin’s 1800s exploration of Australia will come to Australia as the result of a deal clinched in Canberra today between the Museum of Natural History in Le Havre, France, and six Australian museums. Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the French and Australian museums, stunning original watercolours and drawings by Baudin expedition artists Charles-Alexandre Lesueur and Nicolas-Martin Petit will be showcased at venues across the country. The French artists explored Australian waters between 1800 and 1804 with the expedition of Baudin, who was commissioned by Napoléon Bonaparte, First Consul of France, to investigate Nouvelle Hollande – particularly its uncharted southern coast. As Baudin’s two ships charted the continent’s coastline, the artists captured the wonders of a new

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