George Washington Thomas Lambert (13 September 1873 – 29 May 1930) was an Australian artist, known principally for

portrait painting Portrait Painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to represent a specific human subject. The term 'portrait painting' can also describe the actual painted portrait. Portraitists may create their work by commission, for public and pr ...

and as a war artist during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

Early life

Lambert was born in

St Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

, the posthumous son of George Washington Lambert (1833 – 25 July 1873, in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

) of

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...

. The younger Lambert's mother was Annie Matilda, ''née'' Firth, an Englishwoman. Mother and son soon moved to Württemberg, Germany, to be with Lambert's maternal grandfather. Lambert was educated at Kingston College, Yeovil, Somerset. The family, consisting of Lambert, his mother and three sisters, decided to emigrate to Australia. They arrived in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...

aboard the ''Bengal'' on 20 January 1887.

Career

George Washington Lambert - Self-portrait

Lambert began exhibiting his pictures at the Art Society and the Society of Artists, Sydney in 1894. Lambert began contributing pen-and-ink cartoons for '' The Bulletin'' in 1895 and began painting full-time in 1896. Illustrations by Lambert formed part of the bush ballads of the ''Fair girls and gray horses'' (1898) and ''Hearts of gold'' (1903) anthologies of Scottish-Australian poet Will H. Ogilvie (1869–1963). In 1899 he won the Wynne Prize with ''

Across the Blacksoil Plains ''Across the Black Soil Plains'' is a 1899 painting by Australian artist George Washington Lambert. The landscape depicts a team of draft horses pulling a wagon heavily laden with wool bales. Lambert's painting was awarded the Wynne Prize in 189 ...

''. He studied at the

Julian Ashton Art School The Julian Ashton Art School was established by Julian Ashton in 1890 as the "Academy Julian", (perhaps a reference to the Académie Julian in Paris) has been an influential art school in Australia. For a long time it was known as the Sydney Art ...

until 1900. Later, he won a travelling scholarship for 150 pounds from the

government of New South Wales The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the States and territories of Australia, Australian state democratic administrative authority of New South Wales. It is currently held by a coalition of the Liberal Party o ...

. He spent a year in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

before moving to

where he exhibited at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

. Lambert was awarded a silver medal at an international exhibition for his painting ''The Sonnet'' in

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

in 1911. He was most known during this time as a portrait artist.

War artist

Lambert became an official Australian war artist in 1917 during the First World War. His painting ''

Anzac The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914, and operated during the Gallipoli campaign. General William Birdwood comm ...

, the landing 1915'' of the landings on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey, is the largest painting at the

Australian War Memorial The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia and some conflicts involving pe ...

collection. Lambert, as an honorary captain, travelled to Gallipoli in 1919 to make sketches for the painting. Another noted work was ''

A sergeant of the Light Horse ''A Sergeant of the Light Horse'' is a 1920 painting by Australian artist George Washington Lambert. The portrait depicts an Australian soldier in Palestine during World War I. The National Gallery of Victoria states that the work is "recognise ...

'' (1920), painted in London after his travels in Palestine. During the war years, George Lambert spent much time in London, where it is suggested he was romantically involved with fellow artist

Thea Proctor Thea may refer to: * Thea (name), a given name * Ancient Greek term for goddess, including an alternative spelling of Theia * ''Thea'', the former name of the tea plant genus, now included in ''Camellia'' * Thea, a village in the municipal unit M ...

Return to Australia

Lambert returned to Australia in 1921, where he had success in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...

with a one-man show at Fine Art Society gallery. He was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1922. He often visited the homestead of Colonel

Granville Ryrie Major General Sir Granville de Laune Ryrie, (1 July 1865 – 2 October 1937) was an Australian soldier, politician, and diplomat. He served in the Boer War and the First World War, in the latter commanding the 2nd Light Horse Brigade (1914– ...

of the

Australian Light Horse Australian Light Horse were mounted troops with characteristics of both cavalry and mounted infantry, who served in the Second Boer War and World War I. During the inter-war years, a number of regiments were raised as part of Australia's part-t ...

at Michelago, New South Wales and there painted '' The Squatter's Daughter'' and ''Michelago Landscape''. In the second annual

Archibald Prize The Archibald Prize is an Australian portraiture art prize for painting, generally seen as the most prestigious portrait prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after the receipt of a bequest from J. F. Archibald, the editor ...

in 1922, now Australia's most prestigious art prize for portraiture, Lambert's work was disqualified as he had not been a resident in Australia for twelve months. He submitted a self-portrait for the third year, competing with William Macleod who entered with the subject of '' The Bulletin'' cartoonist 'Hop' Hopkins. In 1927 he won the

with his work titled ''Mrs Murdoch''. In November 1927 he was commissioned to create a statue of writer

Henry Lawson Henry Archibald Hertzberg Lawson (17 June 1867 – 2 September 1922) was an Australian writer and bush poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial perio ...

; the work depicting Lawson in rough clothes accompanied by a swagman, a dog and a fence post was unveiled in

The Domain, Sydney The Domain is a heritage-listed area of open space located on the eastern fringe of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. Separating the central business district from ...

on 28 July 1931 by the

Governor of New South Wales The governor of New South Wales is the viceregal representative of the Australian monarch, King Charles III, in the state of New South Wales. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia at the national level, the governors of the A ...

, Sir

Philip Game Sir Philip Woolcott Game, (30 March 1876 – 4 February 1961) was a British Royal Air Force commander, who later served as Governor of New South Wales and Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (London). Born in Surrey in 1876, Game was educ ...

Personal life

Lambert married Amelia Beatrice 'Amy' Absell (1872–1963) in 1900. Their children were Maurice Lambert (1901–1964), a noted sculptor and associate of the

, and Constant, the British

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...

and conductor, born in

in 1905. Kit Lambert (1935–1981), manager of the rock group

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

, was their grandchild. Lambert died on 29 May 1930 at Cobbitty, near Camden, New South Wales, and is buried in the Anglican section of

South Head Cemetery The South Head General Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery located at 793 Old South Head Road, Vaucluse, New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1845 to 1950. It is also known as Old South Head Cemetery and the South Head Cemetery. The ...

. Some of his family papers from 1874 to 1942 are held in the State Library of New South Wales, Sydney.

Gallery

File:Anzacs Bathing in the Sea (George Lambert).jpg, '' Anzacs Bathing in the Sea'' File:George W. Lambert - A sergeant of the Light Horse - Google Art Project.jpg, ''

Sergeant of the Light Horse ''A Sergeant of the Light Horse'' is a 1920 painting by Australian artist George Washington Lambert. The portrait depicts an Australian soldier in Palestine during World War I. The National Gallery of Victoria states that the work is "recognise ...

'' File:George W. Lambert - Portrait group - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Portrait of the Artist's Family'' File:George W Lambert - The white glove - Google Art Project.jpg, ''

The White Glove ''The White Glove'' is a 1921 portrait painting by Australian artist George Washington Lambert. The painting depicts Miss Gladys Neville Collins, the daughter of J.T. Collins, lawyer, Victorian State Parliamentary draughtsman, and trustee of the ...

'' File:George Washington Lambert - Egg and cauliflower still life.jpg File:George W Lambert - Holiday in Essex - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Holiday in Essex'' File:George W Lambert - Portrait of a lady (Thea Proctor) - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Portrait of a Lady'' File:George Washington Lambert - Hugh Ramsay, 1902.jpg, ''

Hugh Ramsay Hugh Ramsay (25 May 1877 – 5 March 1906) was an Australian artist. Early life and education Ramsay was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 25 May 1877, the son of John Ramsay. He moved with his family to Melbourne in 1878. He was educated at Ess ...

'' File:George W. Lambert - The holiday group (The bathers) - Google Art Project.jpg, ''The Holiday Group (The Bathers)'' File:George Lambert - Sybil Waller in a red and gold dress, 1905.jpg, ''Sybil Waller in a Red and Gold Dress'' File:Charles EW Bean portrait.jpg,

Charles Bean Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean (18 November 1879 – 30 August 1968), usually identified as C. E. W. Bean, was Australia's official war correspondent, subsequently its official war historian, who wrote six volumes and edited the remaining six of ...

File:George W. Lambert - The squatter's daughter - Google Art Project.jpg, '' The Squatter's Daughter'' File:George W Lambert - Across the black soil plains - Google Art Project.jpg, ''

Across the Black Soil Plains ''Across the Black Soil Plains'' is a 1899 painting by Australian artist George Washington Lambert. The landscape depicts a team of draft horses pulling a wagon heavily laden with wool bales. Lambert's painting was awarded the Wynne Prize in 189 ...

'' File:George Lambert - Weighing the Fleece, 1921.jpg, ''

Weighing the Fleece ''Weighing the Fleece'' is a 1921 painting by Australian artist George Washington Lambert. It is part of the collection of the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. Composition The painting depicts "the interior of a woolshed with the owne ...

'' File:George W Lambert - Miss Thea Proctor - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Miss Thea Proctor'' File:George W Lambert - Pan is dead (still life) - Google Art Project.jpg, ''

Pan Is Dead (Still Life) ''Pan Is Dead (Still Life)'' is a 1911 still life painting by Australian artist George Washington Lambert. The painting depicts "a sculpted head of Pan beside white gloves and a glass vase filled with white roses". Lambert created the bust of ...

'' File:The artist’s wife, Amy, and their son Constant - George Washington Lambert - ref Lambert-98142.jpg, ''The artist's wife, Amy, and their son Constant''

Notes

References

External links

*
Artist profile - Australian War Memorial

Lambert exhibition, Gallipoli and Palestine landscapes - Australian War Memorial

George Washington Lambert at Australian Art
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lambert, George Washington 1873 births 1930 deaths Emigrants from the Russian Empire to Australia World War I artists Archibald Prize winners Archibald Prize finalists Australian portrait painters

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

Russian portrait painters British war artists Wynne Prize winners 20th-century Australian painters 20th-century Australian male artists Symbolist painters Associates of the Royal Academy Julian Ashton Art School alumni Australian male painters Australian people of German descent Australian people of American descent