Today marks the birth of George Washington Thomas Lambert, one of Australia’s most distinguished portrait painters and war artists. Born in St Petersburg, Russia, Lambert would go on to become a defining figure in Australian art, despite his unusual birthplace and tragic family circumstances.
Lambert entered the world as a posthumous child – his father, also named George Washington Lambert, had died in London just two months before his son’s birth. His father, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, had died on July 25, 1873, leaving behind a legacy that his son would honor through his artistic achievements.
Rising to prominence as a portrait painter, Lambert’s career took a pivotal turn during the First World War when he became an official Australian war artist in 1917. His most famous work, “Anzac, the landing 1915,” depicting the historic Gallipoli landings, would become the largest painting in the Australian War Memorial collection. To ensure historical accuracy, Lambert traveled to Gallipoli in 1919 as an honorary captain to create preliminary sketches for this monumental work.
His war art extended beyond Gallipoli, with notable pieces like “A sergeant of the Light Horse” (1920), painted in London following his travels through Palestine. During these London years, Lambert was reportedly romantically linked with fellow artist Thea Proctor.
Lambert’s artistic journey, which began on this day 152 years ago, would span until his death in 1930, leaving behind a remarkable legacy that captured both the spirit of Australian portraiture and the gravity of wartime experience.
Featuring Image Courtesy: Artvee
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