
International Art | Sculpture
Satyr with wineskin cast 19th century
after UNKNOWN ROMAN
International Art | Sculpture
Satyr with wineskin cast 19th century
after UNKNOWN ROMAN
International Art | Painting
The prodigal son c.1780-1840
UNKNOWN
International Art | Sculpture
Spinario cast late 19th century
after School of PASITELES
Asian Art | Print
Courtesans (reprint) unknown
after EISEN
Asian Art | Sculpture
Flying horse of Kansu cast 1973
after EASTERN HAN ARTIST
International Art | Sculpture
Bust of Niccolo da Uzzano unknown
after DONATELLO
International Art | Sculpture
Borghese warrior 19th century
after AGASIUS THE EPHESIAN
Pacific Art | Fibre
Jipai (mask) 2011
AFEX, Ben
International Art | Glass
Decanter c.1875-1900
AESTHETIC STYLE
International Art | Glass
Vase c.1880-1900
AESTHETIC STYLE
International Art | Glass
Vase c.1880-1900
AESTHETIC STYLE
Contemporary Australian Art | Installation
Blackboards with pendulums 1992
KENNEDY, Peter
International Art | Drawing
Design
ADAM, Sicander
International Art | Metalwork
Tea urn c.1770-1800
ADAM STYLE
International Art | Ceramic
Long necked vase c.1900-50
ACOMO PUEBLO
Pacific Art | Photograph
'Te Waiherehere', Koroniti, Wanganui River, 29 May 1986 1986, printed 1997
ABERHART, Laurence
Pacific Art | Photograph
Nature morte (silence), Savage Club, Wanganui, 20 February 1986 1986, printed 1999
ABERHART, Laurence
Pacific Art | Photograph
Angel over Whangape Harbour, Northland, 6 May 1982 1982, printed 1991
ABERHART, Laurence
Australian Art | Drawing
A memory of Gumeracha (study of flies) 1908
HEYSEN, Hans
Pacific Art | Print
The boxer 2009
ABEL, Patrik
By Victoria Garton
September 1999
1873, St Petersburg, Russia – 1930, Cobbity, NSW
George Washington Thomas Lambert, commonly known as GW Lambert, was born in 1873 in St Petersburg, Russia. His father, an American railway engineer, died shortly before his birth. Along with his mother and three elder brothers, Lambert moved soon after his birth to live with relatives in Germany. The family moved again to England in 1881, where Lambert underwent his schooling, before they finally immigrated to New South Wales in 1887.
After working for several years as a station hand on his great-uncle's property at Eurbola, Central New South Wales, Lambert became a grocer's clerk in Sydney. He enrolled in art classes run by Julian Ashton under the auspices of the Art Society of New South Wales and for some years shared a studio with Sydney Long. When in 1895 Julian Ashton began his own art school, the Academie Julian, Lambert followed him. Later in his career, Lambert is reputed to have been considered by Ashton as his greatest triumph as a teacher. In 1895 Lambert also began contributing drawings to the Sydney 'Bulletin', and exhibiting with the New South Wales Society of Artists.
Lambert excelled in his studies, and in 1899 won the Wynne Prize for landscape with one of his most important paintings, 'Across the Black Soil Plains' (AGNSW). In 1900 Lambert was the recipient of the first New South Wales Travelling Scholarship for artists. Soon afterwards he left Australia for Europe with his new wife, Amelia (Amy) Absell, enrolling at Colarossi's in Paris along with fellow Australian Hugh Ramsay. After working successfully in Paris for one year, Lambert and his young family moved to England, where his success continued to grow.
The family eventually settled in Chelsea until the First World War. During these pre-war years in England Lambert exhibited frequently at the Royal Academy and New Salon. He was a member of the Chelsea Arts Club, an associate of the New Salon, a council member of the International Society of Painters and Gravers, and a founding member of the Modern Society of Painters. Lambert supplemented his income in various ways throughout this period, contributing sketches to the Sydney 'Bulletin' and various other publications in England and Australia, until giving up illustrative work in 1909. In the same year he became a teacher at the London School of Art.
As a specialist in portraiture Lambert was able to make an income through commissions from subjects as important as King Edward VII; however, many of his portraits were uncommissioned paintings and sketches of his own family and friends. During the First World War he became a very successful and prolific war artist with the Australian Light Horse Brigade in Palestine from 1917 until 1920.
By the time he and his family decided to return to Australia in 1921, he was being hailed as one of the art world's most important artists. In 1922 he was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in London. Released from his duties as a war artist, Lambert once again specialised in portraiture. He continued to exhibit with the Society of Artists, and from 1926 with the Contemporary Group which he formed with Thea Proctor. He worked together with Sydney Ure Smith to help keep the outlook of the Society of Artists liberal, and to ensure the support of young artists.
Lambert died in 1930 at Cobbity, New South Wales, at the age of 57.
Victoria Garton, former Curatorial Assistant, QAGOMA.
Bibliography