david coombe history
SUMMARY: The Mount Gambier pictures of S.T. Gill and George French Angas. I re-attribute the 'Blue Lake' watercolour from Angas to Gill.
Article type: ANALYSIS
This article shows Mount Gambier pictures attributed to S.T. Gill and George French Angas. When two pictures – one by Gill and one attributed to Angas – seem so alike, one needs to explain it. Was one based on the other? Were they both based on an unidentified third? Another challenge was to locate Gill's earliest view in the topography.
I originally presented this material as a pop-up exhibition in June 2022. I concluded then that "Blue Lake, Mount Gambier" watercolour was by Gill, not Angas as currently attributed. Angas went on to use the image in his South Australia Illustrated.
For background, see my earlier articles on Gill's work for Angas: S.T. Gill and George French Angas, 1844-1845 and George French Angas in London and S.T. Gill.
Detailed notes accompany each work (below) in this article. But what do we know and what can we see?
A good view of Mount Gambier and all its lakes was sketched in 1857 by Eugene Von Guerard (link below) and clearly shows the local topography. It's a view to the west showing Blue Lake, Valley Lake and Mount Gambier. (The Gill / Angas view is also to the west.)
A circa 1875 photograph similar to the "Blue Lake" view is SLSA B 3063/A.
The "Blue Lake" watercolour differs in style and colouring from the other Mount Gambier works attributed to Angas. I think this unsigned work is actually by Gill and was intended for Angas's South Australia Illustrated project and painted around May-June 1845. Gill's authorship is supported by the clear relationship with his wash drawing and also by comparing style.
This may be one of the pictures Angas was selling in Melbourne in April 1851.
In June 1845, just before Angas departed South Australia, James Allen criticised Angas's landscapes, but made a few exceptions.
We have much pleasure, therefore, in excepting from the foregoing criticisms several of Mr Angas's landscapes. The sketch of Mount Gambier, and one of its volcanic lakes, is peculiarly interesting, and is said by those competent to judge to be most true to nature. The same may be said of the crater of Mount Schank, and the crater of Mount Gambier. Besides, these objects have this very valuable feature connected with them, that they have never hitherto engaged the pencil of an artist.
South Australian Register, 21 June 1845: 2,3. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73842625> and <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27450421>.
It's not known exactly which pictures Allen was referring to. However the circumstances of the exhibition – see S.T. Gill and George French Angas, 1844-1845 – suggest the exception Allen made in his criticism of Angas' landscapes was either "Blue Lake" (AGSA 20114P25) (links below) or AGSA 0.616 (links below).
Allen's title "Mount Gambier and one of its volcanic lakes", would be a more suitable title for "Blue Lake".
To see these works by Gill and others, with accompanying notes, just scroll down or jump to the List of Works.
You can scroll down to see all pictures along with detailed notes or click a link to jump to a specific work from the list.
View from the Summit of Mt Gambier and the Craters & Country to the South, 10 December 1857 | State Library of New South Wales DL PXX 14 f.2
Artist: von Guerard, E. | Date: 1857
Main listing: S.T. Gill - Subject - Mount Gambier
Sketchbook: The Glenelg and Mt Gambier, 1857 / Eugene von Guerard. Although titled as a view to the South it is in fact a view to the East. This image was later lithographed by Guerard.
Map | S. T. Gill - South Australia
777
Mount Gambier, 11 December 1857 | State Library of New South Wales DL PXX 14 f.6
Artist: von Guerard, E. | Date: 1857
Main listing: S.T. Gill - Subject - Mount Gambier
Sketchbook: The Glenelg and Mt Gambier, 1857 / Eugene von Guerard. A view west across the lakes to Mount Gambier. Leg of Mutton Lake is in the foreground and Blue Lake is behind the artist.
Map | S. T. Gill - South Australia
593
Extinct Crater, Mount Gambier, 6th May 1844 | Art Gallery of South Australia 0.616
Artist: Angas, G.F. | Date: 1844-06~/1845-06~ | 25.7(H) x 35.4(W) cm
Main listing: S.T. Gill - Subject - Mount Gambier
A view (north) showing Valley Lake with flat ground at lake edge left and rock wall on the far side. Mount Gambier is at left of picture. The view seems topographically accurate.
George French Angas accompanied Governor Grey's expedition to S.E. South Australia in April-May 1844 and the party explored this place on 6 May 1844.
The title is taken from inscription (l.r.). This view is reproduced as plate 46 in "South Australia Illustrated" titled "Interior of the Principal Crater, Mount Gambier. Sunset".
The work is discussed in Tregenza (1980/1982) 43.
Map | S. T. Gill - South Australia
596
Mount Gambier and one of its volcanic lakes | National Library of Australia NK7073/6
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1844-06~/1845-06~ | Appleyard cat. n/a | 16(H) x 19.6(W) cm
Catalogue: S.T. Gill and George French Angas, 1844-1845
A view (west) showing Mount Gambier and one of its volcanic lakes with two Aboriginal people reclining at the lake edge. Ducks are on the lake. The lake walls seem sloped, not straight sided.
George French Angas accompanied Governor Grey's expedition to S.E. South Australia in April-May 1844 and the party explored this place on 6 May 1844 noting the "numerous ducks" on the lake.
Gill's signature and style are consistent with him having drawn this during Angas' South Australian visits in 1844 and 1845. Given we have no suggestion Gill visited Mount Gambier at the time, we can deduce that Gill based his picture on another's original sketch – probably either Angas or Alexander Tolmer.
The watercolour AGSA 20114P25 - at time of writing titled "Blue Lake" and attributed to Angas - seems to be based on this sketch. Note the similar group of three trees on the lake bank (left middle). However there are differences in the scale of the lake, noting particularly the height of vegetation on the right distant shore.
It is informative to compare this view with Eugene von Guerard's sketches (SLNSW DL PXX 14) and the local topography. This picture is probably intended to represent Blue Lake with its steep walls, but it is not topographically correct, and the view seems foreshortened (eliminating Valley Lake) for effect.
For more detail see the catalogue / main entry.
Map | S. T. Gill - South Australia
108
Blue Lake, Mount Gambier | Art Gallery of South Australia 20114P25
Artist: Gill, S.T. (attr.) | Date: 1844-06~/1845-06~ | 24.7(H) x 34(W) cm
Catalogue: S.T. Gill and George French Angas, 1844-1845
The scene is Mount Gambier and one of its volcanic lakes. The lake walls seem more steeply sloped than in the wash drawing. Birds fly across the lake and sit in a (sheoak?) tree. Rising smoke to the left of Mount Gambier likely suggests the presence of Aboriginal people.
George French Angas accompanied Governor Grey's expedition to S.E. South Australia in April-May 1844 and the party explored this place on 6 May 1844 noting the "numerous ducks" on the lake.
This watercolour was the basis for plate 17 of Angas' "South Australia Illustrated": "Mount Gambier, with one of its volcanic lakes (after sunset)". This work may be that in Angas' London exhibition no. 181 "Mount Gambier and one of its volcanic lakes".
This work is very similar to Gill's 1844/1845 wash drawing (NLA NK7073/6) but differs in a grander scale for the lake and larger and more numerous waterbirds. Note the similar three trees on the lake wall (left middle). The most straightforward explanation would be that this grander watercolour was developed from Gill's humbler picture (and not the other way round).
This watercolour is likely by Gill. The foreground vegetation detail is consistent with Gill's style. The sunset sky is also similar to Gill's Horrocks picture, AGSA 0.1253. It was most likely painted around May-June 1845 when Angas was in Adelaide finalising material for "South Australia Illustrated".
Just like NLA NK7073/6 this picture is probably intended to represent Blue Lake with its steep walls, but it is not topographically correct, and the view seems foreshortened (eliminating Valley Lake) for effect.
For more detail see the catalogue / main entry.
Map | S. T. Gill - South Australia
487
Mount Gambier, with one of its volcanic lakes (after sunset) | State Library of South Australia B 15276/17
Artist: Gill, S.T. (after) | Date: 1846-07~/1846-12~
Main listing: George French Angas in London and S.T. Gill
Plate 17 in Angas's "South Australia Illustrated". Based on the watercolour AGSA 20114P25. See also in book context with letterpress: https://digital.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/nodes/view/2598#idx133415.
Angas describes the location and view: "... the extinct Craters of Mount Gambier, containing several volcanic lakes, enclosed within abrupt walls of lava. The hollows or craters are three in number, that, at the western extremity being the most extensive; the interior of the latter presents scenery of the most novel and romantic description ... The third and easternmost [crater], is entirely occupied by a lake of unknown depth, that looks fearfully dark and gloomy when viewed from the heights above; the accompanying sketch is taken looking across this last mentioned lake, towards the principal crater; the effect represented is one truly Australian, when the moon rises at its full in the roseate sky left by the reflection of the departed sun."
Angas's poetic description, when combined with this being a view to the west, seems to suggest the bright orb behind Mount Gambier is a rising moon, when in actuality it would be a setting sun.
486
Landscape with aborigines | National Gallery of Victoria A1-1981
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: ? | Appleyard cat. n/a | 11.2(H) x 16.2(W) cm
Main listing: S.T. Gill - Subject - Mount Gambier
This seems to be a later reworking of NLA NK7073/6. The foreground lake is a modest one. Rising smoke to the left of Mount Gambier is used by Gill to indicate the presence of Aboriginal people.
582
![Thumbnail image for Mt Gambia [Gambier], South Australia, from the South | QAGOMA 2:0622](https://collection.qagoma.qld.gov.au/system/files/object-images/2-0622_001_3.jpg)
Mt Gambier, South Australia, from the South | Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art 2:0622
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1855~/1857~ | Appleyard cat. n/a | 20.1(H) x 26.9(W) cm
Main listing: S.T. Gill - South Australia Retrospectives
This seems to be a later reworking of NLA NK7073/6. The mountain is more prominent. Aboriginal people are absent from this version. The signature here includes a curly tail on the G - a style Gill used around 1855/1857. I think this is a South Australian retrospective.
786
On Leakes Station Mt Gambia [sic], 1850 | Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales PX*D 383 f.25b
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1857~/1863~ | Appleyard cat. 30.1
Main listing: S.T. Gill - South Australia Retrospectives
Possibly derived from NGV A1-1981 or NLA NK7073/6 but lacks the typical profile of Mount Gambier. The title is from a reverse caption, but may be unreliable - could it read 1856 instead of 1850? The signature is contemporaneous with the sketch and is of a style from 1857~ to early 1860s. I think this is likely to be one of several South Australian retrospectives in this SLNSW-M group. Appleyard says, with reservation, this picture "together with several others establishes Gill's presence in the area in the early 1850s", but my later dating negates this sketch as such evidence.
193
Mount Gambier, South Australia, 1852 | National Gallery of Victoria 84/5
Artist: | Date: ? | Appleyard cat. 30
Main listing: S.T. Gill - Subject - Mount Gambier
Provenance: Arthur H S Piggin. Appleyard includes this work (cat. 30): "This rare example of an oil painting by S.T. Gill has a reliable provenance ...". Grishin, however, doubts this is a Gill original (p. 224, note 274). The other extant Gill oil mentioned previously is "Sleeping Shepherd" (SLNSW DL 43) and I've argued it is unlikely to be by Gill: S.T. Gill - Subject - Shepherd.
Similar subject of stockmen is shown in the watercolour NLA NK288.
203
[Herdsmen with horses and drove of cattle] | National Library of Australia NK288
Artist: Gill, S.T. | Date: 1865~/1875~ | Appleyard cat. n/a
Main listing: S.T. Gill - Subject - Mount Gambier
Two stockmen with horses and a dog with a drove of cattle taking a break with smokes and a brew.
160
David Coombe. Original 7 June 2022. Updated 17 October 2025. | text copyright (except where indicated)
CITE THIS: David Coombe, 2022-2025, S.T. Gill - Subject - Mount Gambier, accessed dd mmm yyyy, <https://coombe.id.au/S_T_Gill/S_T_Gill_Subject_Mount_Gambier.htm>