George Washington Lambert: 9 works

'George Lambert (1873--1930), artist, was a jackeroo before moving to Sydney to work as an illustrator and attend art school. After winning the first NSW Society of Artists' Travelling Scholarship in 1900 he studied and worked in Paris and London for many years, becoming an Associate of the Royal Academy.'

'Inspired by his experiences as a youth in the bush near Warren, NSW, George W Lambert began this ambitious work at the age of 26, while living with his mother at Hornsby. He worked in a small shed in the garden, and had to position the painting diagonally across it, even then unable to stretch the canvas to its full extent.'

'Thea Proctor was an important figure in George W Lambert's life.'

'In 1899 he won the Wynne prize with 'Across the Black Soil Plains', which was bought by the National Art Gallery of New South Wales. After being awarded the Society of Artists Travelling Scholarship in 1900, Lambert sailed to Europe spending time in London and studying in Paris at Colarossi's art school and at the Atelier Delécluze.'

'The work was painted following Lambert's performance of Pan in the play 'The awakening of Pan' (1909), for which he sculpted a clay head of Pan modelled to his own appearance, adding horns and curls characteristic of the allegorical figure.'

'He travelled to Egypt, Turkey and Palestine and completed over 130 works. In January 1919, as honorary captain, he visited Gallipoli with CEW Bean on the Australian Historical Mission in order to collect information to complete a major painting of the Gallipoli landing.'

'Walter Baldwin Spencer was an Australian archaeologist, the second Director of the National Museum of Victoria, and the foundation Professor of Biology at the University of Melbourne.This portrait, painted by George Lambert, was started in London in 1917 and completed in Melbourne in 1921.A non-commissioned portrait, painted 'for the mere fun of the thing', Lambert planned to offer it to the National Gallery of Victoria. Baldwin Spencer purchased for his own collection, after informing Lambert that the director of the gallery was planning to reject its acquisition.'

'While Lambert's approach was formalist, emphasising design and composition, his subject reflected various topical interests of the day, as well as his acquaintance with and admiration of Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, particularly for his ridicule of social snobbery.'

'Anne Gray 1Lionel Lindsay, 'George Lambert -- Our finest Australian master', Art in Australia, third series, no.36, 15 February 1931 pp.12-17 (p.16).'