 |
 |
George W Lambert
(Russia, Australia 1873–1930)
- Title
- Holiday in Essex
- Year
- (1910)
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
-
183.8 x 230.6cm stretcher; 210.0 x 256.0 x 10.0cm frame
- Signature & date
- Signed l.r. corner, black oil "G.W.LAMBERT". Not dated.
- Credit
- Purchased with assistance from the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales and the Marshall Bequest Fund 1981
- Accession number
- 157.1981
- Location
- 19th c Australian art
- Further information
'Holiday in Essex' was the last of Lambert's important group of Velásquez-inspired portrait groups. This monumental painting displays a scale and opulence of paint-handling exemplifying Lambert's inspiration to paint in the 'grand manner'. Painted in his London studio, the subject was derived from the family holiday at Mersea Island in Essex and depicts Lambert's wife Amy and sons Constant and Maurice. Arthur José described its conception in 'The Art of George Lambert A.R.A.', in 1924:
'It began as a deliberate attempt to emulate the Spanish (or rather the continental) convention of the days of Velasquez ... the placing of the figures and the background, and the lighting of the studio was so arranged as to produce the traditional chiaroscuro of that epoch. The landscape, though remembered from Essex, was built up on a high platform in the studio, on which the group was posed, pony and all ... The artist in fact, was testing himself: "Can I, too, paint with the methods devised so long ago and approved by tradition?" '
- Bibliography (19)
-
'Jewel of a painting returns: Out of Australian sight for nearly ninety years' by Barry Pearce, pg. 12-13., Look Mar 2010, Mar 2010, 12.
Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Author), I blame Duchamp: my life's adventures in art, Surry Hills, 2009, 323, 325, 327 (colour illus.).
'George Lambert's drawings' by Hendrik Kolenberg, pg. 22-23., Look Oct 2006, Oct 2006, 22.
'Moulin Rouge: Charles Conder at the Art Gallery of New South Wales' by Martin Terry, pg. 31-34., Art Monthly Australia Nov 2003, Nov 2003, 34.
'Presenting our own artists: how the AGS put balance into the Australian collection' by Barry Pearce, pg. 42-44., Look: 1953-2003 celebrating 50 years May 2003, May 2003, 43.
'Good news in the air: introducing SBS radio broadcaster and new Society Council Member Phoebe Alexander', pg. 46., Look Dec 2002-Jan 2003, Dec 2002-Jan 2003, 46 (colour illus.). Interview between Alejandra Szcaepaniak and Phoebe Alexander.
'Art is in the frame' by Elizabeth Fortesque., Daily telegraph 04 Aug 2000, 04 Aug 2000, page unknown (colour illus., detail). Article about restoration of frames for the 'Australian Icons' exhibition and features a photograph of David Butler with 'Holiday in Essex'.
'Great art starts with the framework' by Ali Gripper., The Sydney Morning Herald 04 Aug 2000, 04 Aug 2000, page unknown (colour illus.). Article about restoration of frames for the 'Australian Icons' exhibition and features a photograph of Installation Crew with 'Holiday in Essex'.
'A crime where the victim was framed' by Jennifer Sexton., The Australian 03 Aug 2000, 03 Aug 2000, page unknown (illus., detail). Article about restoration of frames for the 'Australian Icons' exhibition and features a photograph of David Butler with 'Holiday in Essex'.
'George Lambert: 1873-1930 Draughtsman painter' by Meg van Kool, pg. 38., Look May 2000, May 2000, 38 (colour illus.). Australian Icon series
Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), Australian art: in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Domain, 2000, 74, 96, 97 (colour illus.), 301.
Bruce James (Australia) (Author), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Director), Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, Domain, 1999, 130 (colour illus.).
Lynne Seear (Australia) (Editor), Julie Ewington (Australia) (Editor), Brought to light: Australian Art 1850-1965, South Brisbane, 1998, 102.
Anne Gray (Australia, b.1947) (Author), George Lambert (1873-1930) catalogue raisonné: paintings and sculpture, drawings in public collections, Perth, 1996, 34, 35. cat.no. P114
Ewen McDonald (Australia) (Editor), The Art Gallery of New South Wales collections, Sydney, 1994, 24 (colour illus.), 25.
Annabel Davie (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales Handbook, Domain, 1988, 20 (illus.).
Deborah Edwards (Australia) (Author), Two centuries of Australian painting: a selection from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, New South Wales, 1986, 11, 24, 35 (colour illus.). cat.no. 16
'George W. Lambert' by Lionel Lindsay, pg. 2-6., Art in Australia [vol. 1, no. 7] 1919, 1919, 5.
Pictures of 1910 Prize Competition: 'Pall Mall magazine extra' 1910, 1910, 65 (illus.).
- Exhibition history (4)
-
Society of Artists Spring Exhibition (1913), Society Rooms, Queen Victoria Markets, Nov 1913 -.
Two centuries of Australian painting, a selection from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Orange Regional Gallery, 19 Apr 1986–15 Jun 1986.
Australian icons: twenty artists from the collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 04 Aug 2000–03 Dec 2000.
George Lambert retrospective: heroes & icons, National Gallery of Australia, 29 Jun 2007–16 Sep 2007.
