david coombe history
A list of 80 web pages (articles) for the S T Gill project in order they were published, starting with the most recent articles.
Most of the general articles – indexes, references, help, etc – are at the end of this list. See also additional articles at 1840s South Australia and artist S.T. Gill.
S.T. Gill - The Chair and The Vice
The Chair and The Vice are a pair of satirical prints. They are a puzzle. They are re-lithographed copies of 1841 English prints, signed not on the stone but on the prints. Were they Gill, Macartney and Galbraith experimenting in tinted lithography?
Article type: Analysis
Published: 04 June 2026
S.T. Gill : Cross References - Appleyard and Bowden
Cross-reference indexes to the lists of S.T. Gill works in Appleyard and Bowden.
Article type: Analysis
Published: 06 April 2026
S.T. Gill - Signatures and Dating
S. T. Gill's signatures (and dating) were analysed by Appleyard (1986). I revisit this topic with outcomes from this project in dating, fakes and signatures.
Article type: Analysis
Published: 23 February 2026
S.T. Gill as artist for George French Angas
Overview. This project importantly attributes to S.T. Gill works which have previously been attributed to George French Angas. This article examines Gill's work for and relationship with Angas, 1844 to 1852. Gill is best Angas!
Article type: Analysis
Published: 13 February 2026
S.T. Gill - Contents - Victorian Diggings
This project contains several articles on S.T. Gill at the Victorian diggings and his works of 1852 and 1853. This page lists the articles in chronological order.
Article type: Contents
Published: 04 January 2026
S.T. Gill - Diggings and Diggers 1852 - Part 2
Gill's 'Sketches of the Victoria Diggings and Diggers as they are' were published as lithographs by Macartney and Galbraith in 1852 in two parts. Part 2 was published in October 1852.
Article type: Catalogue
Published: 04 January 2026
S.T. Gill - Diggings and Diggers 1852 - Part 1
Gill's 'Sketches of the Victoria Diggings and Diggers as they are' were published as lithographs by Macartney and Galbraith in 1852 in two parts. Part 1 was published in August 1852.
Article type: Catalogue, Analysis
Published: 04 January 2026
S.T. Gill - Victoria Gold Diggings and Diggers 1852
In Melbourne Gill completed two series of 24 monochrome diggings lithographs in August and October 1852. George French Angas visits! Large watercolours of Forest Creek and Bendigo. Large coloured lithograph of Forest Creek, March 1853.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: 04 January 2026
S.T. Gill to Victoria and the Diggings, 1852
S.T. Gill left South Australia for the Victorian gold rush. This article evaluates evidence for his passage and concludes he likely left with others of a cultural bent aboard 'Anna Dixon', February 1852.
Article type: Narrative, Analysis
Published: 04 January 2026
George French Angas - Victorian Diggings, 1852
The weight of evidence is against Angas' presence at the Victorian diggings. He visited Gill in Melbourne in August 1852 and again used Gill's pictures for his own publication. This further cements the role of Gill as a ghost artist for Angas.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: 04 January 2026
S.T. Gill - Subject - Diggers on way
Diggers on way to Bendigo was a frequent subject of Gill's showing diggers on the road. It represents diggers moving from one diggings (Forest Creek) to better prospects at another (Bendigo).
Article type: Subject
Published: 04 January 2026
S.T. Gill at the Victorian Diggings, 1852
S.T. Gill was at the Diggings in June and July 1852, judging by dated works and a newspaper report. He sought a lithographic partnership. There may be only one field sketch extant.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: 04 January 2026
S.T. Gill - Diggings and Diggers 1852 - Preparatory Sketches
Gill made preparatory sketches in only a small sketch book for each lithograph in his 'Sketches of the Victoria Diggings and Diggers as they are'. He scaled these to then draw on the stone.
Article type: Catalogue, Analysis
Published: 04 January 2026
S.T. Gill - Works - 1839 to 1844
Works by S.T. Gill in the period 1839 to 1844, not included elsewhere in the catalogue.
Article type: Catalogue, Analysis
Published: 28 November 2025
S.T. Gill - Narrative, 1843 to 1844
S. T. Gill - his life and times in South Australia, 1843 to 1844. The James Allen connection. The coming of copper and George French Angas.
Article type: Narrative
Published: 26 November 2025
S.T. Gill - An Early Narrative, 1839 to 1842
S T Gill's life and times in South Australia, 1839 to 1842. A narrative, with familial, economic and art scene context for Gill's early years. Highlighting Gill's clients and connections such as John Horrocks, Governor Gawler and posted army officers.
Article type: Narrative
Published: 26 November 2025
S.T. Gill - Scott Fakes and Adelaide Signatures
Several 'Gill' watercolours surfaced in the 1890s with connections to amateur artist Margaret Cochrane Scott nee Little and daughter journalist Winnifred 'Magpie' Scott. Two were fake. These and others had the uncommon 'STG Adelaide' signatures.
Article type: Analysis
Published: 03 October 2025
S.T. Gill - A Miscellany
An S. T. Gill miscellany.
Published: 26 September 2025
H.C. Jervis Engravings | 1841/1842
H. C. Jervis made engravings in Adelaide of landmark buildings in 1841-1842. Initials C.W.C on them became an art history red herring. More likely they're based on originals by S. T. Gill. There are links too with the 1842 Kingston map.
Article type: Catalogue, Analysis
Published: 14 August 2025
S.T. Gill - Subject - Extinct Crater
S. T. Gill's subject of an extinct crater is based on a (non-volcanic) rock formation seen on Captain E.C. Frome's 1843 northern expedition. Gill's views were probably based on a sketch by expedition member James Henderson.
Article type: Subject
Published: 31 July 2025
S.T. Gill at Angas' Barossa 1844
S. T. Gill was in the Barossa sketching for the Angas family from 29 October to 4 November 1844. I identify some works as well as influences on Angas publications 'South Australia Illustrated' and 'Barossa Range and its neighbourhood'.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: 23 July 2025
S.T. Gill - Contents - Angas
This project links to several articles on George French Angas and S.T. Gill. This article provides a structural overview of these articles. Also a map of Angas's sketches 1851 on way to NSW Ophir diggings.
Article type: Contents
Published: 23 July 2025
John Ainsworth Horrocks' 1846 Expedition Journal
S.T. Gill accompanied John Ainsworth Horrocks' small expedition from July to September 1846. Both Gill and Horrocks made expedition journals. This article reproduces Horrocks' journals as it was transcribed and published in 1906.
Published: 18 July 2025
S.T. Gill on the Horrocks Expedition 1846
S.T. Gill accompanied John Ainsworth Horrocks' small expedition from July to September 1846. This article focusses on Gill's artistic work on the expedition, rather than his exhibition works after returning.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: 18 July 2025
S.T. Gill - Subject - Shepherd
S.T. Gill frequently portrayed the shepherd and his dog with a flock. Showing Gill's shepherd pictures from around 1840 to 1874.
Article type: Subject
Published: 19 September 2024
S.T. Gill - Works - 1844 to 1846
Works by S.T. Gill in the period 1844 to 1846, not elsewhere included in the catalogue.
Article type: Catalogue
Published: 13 September 2024
S.T. Gill - South Australia Retrospectives
S.T. Gill continued to portray South Australia after he left there in early 1852. This article lists works I think are Gill's retrospectives of South Australia, with an emphasis on the works Appleyard dated in the South Australian years.
Article type: Analysis
Published: 31 May 2024
S.T. Gill and W.A. Cawthorne
WA Cawthorne (1824-1897): school teacher, amateur artist, documenter of Aboriginal culture. George French Angas' 'South Australia Illustrated'. The relationship with Gill, his art master from February 1845.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: 06 May 2024
S.T. Gill, November 1845 to June 1846
After the commission for James Allen and South Australian Company, in November 1845 Gill briefly trialled Daguerreotype (photography). Little is known about what he did next, up until the time he left on Horrocks' expedition in July 1846.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: 02 April 2024
S.T. Gill's Government House for George Gawler
Previously attributed to Governor George Gawler, this is by Gill for Gawler in 1840/1841. The earliest known picture of new Government House. It's before Gill developed his typical foreground doodling and busyness of characters.
Article type: Catalogue, Analysis
Published: 06 March 2024
Klemzig, Angas, a German Hay Wagon and Chickens
Analysis of a pencil sketch of the German village of Klemzig. A comparison of the Klemzig pictures of F.R. Nixon, G. F. Angas and S.T. Gill. I re-attribute the sketch from Angas to Gill, revealing more of the collaboration between them.
Article type: Catalogue, Analysis
Published: 21 December 2023
1846. The Camel, Horrocks's Expedition, Gill's Parting Supper and a Newspaper Reporter
In July 1846 Gill gave a supper for friends before leaving on John Horrocks' expedition, this being the subject of an oddly lengthy newspaper report. Featuring Australia's first camel, a dubious newspaper reporter and unidentified expeditioners.
Article type: Narrative
Published: 14 December 2023
S.T. Gill - 1847
An overarching outline of 1847 with links to catalogue articles on Gill's major efforts that year. This article also includes 1847 works not catalogued elsewhere.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: 16 November 2023
S.T. Gill - 1847 Exhibition of Pictures
'An Exhibition of Pictures, principally the work of Colonial Artists' ran over a week from Thursday 11 February 1847 and showed 178 pictures. Gill was the most prolific exhibitor with 62 entries, including his 33 work Horrocks series.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: 14 November 2023
Book Review : Doug Limbrick (2023) on S.T. Gill
'But on reaching the final appendix I found extensive plagiarism. This took the book beyond being merely derivative and I decided to review it after all.' A review of the book 'Colonial Artist S. T. Gill' by Doug Limbrick (2023).
Published: 31 October 2023
S.T. Gill and the Portraits of J.A. Horrocks
1840. Two portraits of John Ainsworth Horrocks known only by early black and white photographs. I attribute them to Gill and date them to early 1840.
Article type: Catalogue, Analysis
Published: 23 October 2023
S.T. Gill and Horrocks Retrospectives
S.T. Gill accompanied John Ainsworth Horrocks' small expedition from July to September 1846. This article has a selection of retrospective works on the subject that are outside the scope of Gill's South Australian period catalogue.
Article type: Subject
Published: 23 October 2023
S.T. Gill - 1848
1848. Second exhibition of artists. Economic depression in Britain impacted Gill's moneyed clients. But year end heralded a broader market for Gill's works with the arrival in Adelaide of lithographers Penman and Co.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: 26 June 2023
S.T. Gill, March 1850 to March 1851
March 1850 to March 1851. Changing fortunes. Prospect House; Gill's Newfoundland dog; competition from oil painters; portraits from Daguerreotypes; Gill's hand injury; financial pressure; William Vansittart's horse portraits.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: November 2022
S.T. Gill, September 1849 to February 1850
September 1849 - February 1850. Fetes and house paintings. Gill embraced lithography and its larger market, whilst continuing watercolours for clients.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: October 2022
S.T. Gill - Subject - Corroboree
Gill frequently portrayed the Aboriginal corroboree. This article places these in context and relates them to corroboree works by W.R. Govett and J.M. Skipper. Pictures range in date from 1844 to 1874.
Article type: Subject
Published: 29 July 2022
S.T. Gill - Subject - Mount Gambier
The Mount Gambier pictures attributed to S.T. Gill and George French Angas. I re-attribute the 'Blue Lake' watercolour from Angas to Gill.
Article type: Subject
Published: 07 June 2022
S.T. Gill, May to December 1851
Gold became the topic of interest in May 1851. Gill insolvent. Series of 3 lithographs of Adelaide's main streets, suggest the view was to the east and gold. Horse portraits. Angas paints NSW diggings.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: June 2022
S.T. Gill and Burra Burra Mine 1847
In April 1847 S.T. Gill sketched the Burra Burra Mine and its township Kooringa on behalf of the South Australian Mining Association (SAMA). He made a set of seven views. Several SAMA proprietors ordered copy sets.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: May 2022
S.T. Gill and Burra Burra Mine 1850
In February 1850 S.T. Gill returned to the Burra Burra Mine and its township Kooringa to refresh images for the South Australian Mining Association (SAMA). Featured: Patent Copper Company's smelting works and Roach's engine-house.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: May 2022
S.T. Gill, Penman & Co., Heads of the People
December 1848 - August 1849. Lithographers Penman & Co.; J.A. Gilfillan; T. Rider; Gill's 'Heads of the People' in May, July, August 1849.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: March 2022
S.T. Gill's Sets of South Australian Scenes
Sets of wash drawings of South Australian scenes, illustrating for an English audience the colony's notable natural characteristics, the Aboriginal people and their practices, and rural life. 1844 to 1849.
Article type: Subject
Published: February 2022
S.T. Gill's Set of South Australian Scenes - Bennett
1844~. Set of 8 wash drawings of South Australian scenes - natural, Aboriginal, rural and the built environment, corresponding with subjects in J.F. Bennett's book. Plus other related works.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: February 2022
S.T. Gill's Set of South Australian Scenes - Bishop 1849
1849. Ten wash drawings of South Australian scenes - natural, Aboriginal, rural and exploration - likely for Captain John Bishop of Port Lincoln.
Article type: Catalogue
Published: February 2022
S.T. Gill's Horrocks Expedition Pictures 1846-1847
September 1846 to January 1847. Gill develops his series of 33 works of the Horrocks' expedition, raffled and shown at the February 1847 Exhibition of Pictures.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: February 2022
S.T. Gill's Set of South Australian Scenes - January 1849
January 1849. Twelve wash drawings of South Australian scenes - natural, Aboriginal and rural - possibly intended for lithography.
Article type: Catalogue
Published: February 2022
S.T. Gill - Subject - Sturt's Departure 1844
S.T. Gill made several images representing the departure from Adelaide of Charles Sturt's Great Northern Expedition on 10 August 1844. He executed from two distinct view points one city block apart.
Article type: Subject
Published: December 2021
S.T. Gill and George French Angas, 1844-1845
1844-45. George French Angas made a splash in South Australia in two visits (interrupted by a trip to New Zealand). He left on 2 July 1845, a fortnight after his art exhibition and its associated controversy.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: November 2021
George French Angas in London and S.T. Gill
Some of Gill's pictures were used by George French Angas in London in 1846-1847: in his Egyptian Hall exhibition and his books South Australia Illustrated and Savage Life and Scenes.
Article type: Catalogue
Published: November 2021
S.T. Gill and John Napier Magill
Lieutenant John Napier Magill (1819-1848), 96th Regiment, posted to South Australia 1842-1846. Magill was a flautist and artist, painting views of Flinders Street barracks. Gill watercolours for Magill and Captain W.D. Chard.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: November 2021
S.T. Gill - Subject - Native Sepulchre
Gill portrayed the Aboriginal elevated mortuary platform in his 'Native Sepulchre' images. Also included are works by E.C. Frome, G.F. Angas and W.A. Cawthorne. Date range: 1840 to 1870s.
Article type: Subject
Published: October 2021
S.T. Gill and E.C. Frome (Feb 1849)
February 1849: Sectional sketches of Kapunda copper mine for Captain E.C. Frome, Surveyor General and Colonial Engineer.
Article type: Catalogue
Published: September 2021
S.T. Gill, E.J. Eyre, Symmetry 1844
On 16 December 1844 explorer Edward John Eyre departs Adelaide on the barque 'Symmetry' for England, taking with him paintings by Gill.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: September 2021
S.T. Gill and the Old Colonists' Festival Dinner
March 1851. The story behind S.T. Gill's cheeky lithograph of the Old Colonists' Festival Dinner.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: September 2021
S.T. Gill and E.C. Frome (1844-1845)
1844/1845. Watercolours for Captain E.C. Frome, Surveyor General and Colonial Engineer.
Article type: Catalogue
Published: September 2021
S.T. Gill and James Allen, 1845
September-November 1845. Series of watercolours and wash drawings commissioned by James Allen for his 1846 promotional lecture tour of England.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: August 2021
S.T. Gill and Sturt's 'Narrative'
February-April 1847. To illustrate Charles Sturt's book 'Narrative of an Expedition into Central Australia ...'. Watercolours (known and unknown) by Gill.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: July 2021
S.T. Gill's Series of Adelaide Views
1840/1846. Simple postcard sized wash drawings labelled 'Series of Adelaide Views' and numbered (on the back) showing the built environment of Adelaide and the Port.
Article type: Catalogue, Analysis
Published: June 2021
S.T. Gill and George Hamilton's Breeches
1846/February 1847. Five vignettes showing activities of Aboriginal people. For George Hamilton who over-painted two of the pictures. Extensive reverse notes transcribed.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative, Analysis
Published: May 2021
S.T. Gill in Maps
Background and links: the maps in the S.T. Gill project. Artwork maps and reference maps. Also general maps for 1840s South Australia.
Published: May 2021
S.T. Gill and Art History's Wrong Turn
JOHN ROWE 1847. Gill's 'The Seasons and The Months' have been misidentified since being acquired by NLA in 1932. Solving this mystery overturns the last 35 years of art history's dating of Gill's earliest Australian works.
Article type: Analysis
Published: 22 April 2021
S.T. Gill's The Seasons and The Months
Winter 1847. 'The Seasons and The Months'. A series originally of 16 pictures commissioned by Lieutenant John Roe. 'July' is missing. Key to redating Gill's work.
Article type: Catalogue, Narrative
Published: 22 April 2021
S.T. Gill and Prospect House
December 1849 - early 1850. A lithograph (Penman & Co.) of a fete at Prospect House on 20 December 1849. Five watercolours in 1850 of the house, grounds and setting for J.B. Graham.
Article type: Catalogue, Analysis
Published: 03 March 2021
S.T. Gill and E.L. Montefiore
1844/1846. Eliezer Levi Montefiore – businessman and Gill student.
Article type: Catalogue, Analysis
Published: December 2020
S.T. Gill - Subjects
List of articles dealing with some of S.T. Gill's specific artistic subjects.
S.T. Gill - Index of Works
An index to art works referenced in the S. T. Gill project web pages and associated online maps. Includes some works by artists other than Gill.
S.T. Gill - List of Lists
A list of indexes, contents and other lists for the S T Gill project.
Samuel Thomas (S.T.) Gill (1818-1880), colonial artist
S.T. Gill's life and work. A catalogue and analysis of his works and a narrative from his arrival in South Australia in late 1839 to his early time at the Victorian gold rush in 1852-53.
S.T. Gill - Select Catalogue of Works
An online catalogue of S.T. Gill's early colonial works from his arrival in South Australia in December 1839 up to his early time at the Victorian gold rush in 1852-1853.
S.T. Gill - About the Project
About the S.T. Gill project : how it started, how it's going, rationale, scope, approach, method, content, how to access content and acknowledgements.
S.T. Gill - A Narrative
A list of narrative articles in the S.T. Gill project in approximate chronological order. (Many of the pages also have forward and backward narrative links.)
Article type: Contents
S.T. Gill - Project Help
Help resources for the S.T. Gill project. Includes Key to Collecting Institutions.
S.T. Gill - References (Select Bibliography)
List of references (a select bibliography) for the S.T. Gill project.
S.T. Gill - List of Articles
A list of articles (web pages) for the S T Gill project in alphabetical order.
S.T. Gill - Contents - Horrocks
This project links to several articles on J.A. Horrocks, his 1846 expedition and S.T. Gill's related works (which tended to the generic over time). This article provides a structural overview of their contents.
Article type: Contents