| |
George Lambert 1873 - 1930
George Lambert was born in St Petersburg, Russia, in 1873 and arrived
in Australia with his mother in 1887. Lambert commenced his art studies
with Julian Ashton at Academie Julian in Sydney, 1896 -1900, then moved
to Colarossi's and Atelier Delecluse in Paris in 1900-01. After a year
in Paris, Lambert moved to London where he exhibited at the Royal Academy
from 1904 until 1911 with great success. His reputation was firmly established
however, through his work as a war artist in Palestine.
Lambert was appointed as an official war artist late in 1917. Attached
to the AIF in Palestine, he left London on 25 December. During the journey
he did the first of seventy-six drawings produced in 1918; many are portraits
of the officers and men who were based in Egypt and Palestine.
Lambert was re-appointed in 1919 to travel to Gallipoli and to the Middle
East to make preparatory drawings for the commissioned battle paintings.
Some of the larger paintings took up to two years to complete. Lambert
produced over 500 works for the Australian War Memorial during two official
appointments and with post-war commissions.
When Lambert painted his sensitive portrayal of an Australian sergeant
of the Light Horse, he intentionally created a new model for the military
portrait. He chose not to paint the typical dashing sergeant on horse
back in plumed hat, but concentrated on the essence of the sergeant's
character, portraying an Australian individual who reflected an Australian
type and his relationship with the land. The Australian Light Horse were
mounted riflemen and were the product of the Australian countryside. They
represented every aspect of Australia's rural industries from the large
sheep and cattle stations to dairymen and orchardists.
The sitter was Thomas Herbert (Harry) Ivers who was a sergeant with the
1st Signal Squadron, and employed as a map maker for the War Records Section
in Palestine. They met during Lambert's visit to Damascus in 1919 and
Ivers was subsequently granted permission to assist Lambert in London
from September 1919 until February 1920. Lambert painted the portrait
from his studio in Kensington, London.
|
George Lambert First World War official war artist
Lieutenant General Sir Harry Chauvel
pencil
drawn in Palestine 1918
ART02734

George Lambert First World War official war artist
Mrs Alice Chisholm of Kantara
pencil
drawn in Kantara, Egypt 1918
ART02756

George Lambert First World War official war artist
Captain Frank Hurley
pencil
drawn in Palestine 1918
ART02804

George Lambert First World War official war artist
Major Andrew "Banjo" Paterson
pencil
drawn in Palestine 1918
ART02780
|