George Alfred John Webb (1861 – 16 August 1949) was an English painter who had a considerable career in Australia painting portraits of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

n and

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

public figures. In correspondence, he signed his name "George A. J. Webb"; many of his paintings, but not all, were signed simply "WEBB".

History

Webb studied painting in England and Europe before emigrating to Australia around 1890, but could have been as early as 1888. His older sister Frances "Fanny" Webb had married the painter Charles Rolando (1844-1893) around 1874, moving to Australia in 1885 and setting up a studio in Grey Street, East Melbourne. Webb lived and worked first in

Melbourne, Victoria Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung–Taungurung language, Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the St ...

, painting landscapes around Fernshaw and

Gippsland Lakes The Gippsland Lakes are a network of coastal lakes, marshes and lagoons in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia covering an overall area of about between the rural towns of Lakes Entrance, Bairnsdale and Sale. The largest of the lakes are La ...

which Rolando also favoured and often took him there on excursions. Then 1890 and 1891 in

Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () or () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, Launceston has a population of 87,645. Material was copied ...

, returned to Melbourne, where he married Christina Lake in 1892 and spent their honeymoon in Europe. When Rolando died in 1893 Webb taught in Rolando's art classes for at least a year thereby collaborating with

Jan Hendrik Scheltema Jan Hendrik Scheltema (23 August 1861, in The Hague – 9 December 1941, in Brisbane), was a Dutch and later Australian painter who had a prolific, often strenuous, and arguably impressive career in Australia considering he was a non-British mi ...

, who had taught there from 1889 and who left in December 1894. Both were supervised by Frances. In 1897 they moved to

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

, where he opened a studio in Broken Hill Chambers
This article states that Webb had "nine years colonial experience", so he may have emigrated in 1888. then in

Brookman Building The University of South Australia (UniSA) is a public research university in the Australian state of South Australia. It is a founding member of the Australian Technology Network of universities, and is the largest university in South Australi ...

, where he also conducted classes. He moved to Steamship Building,

Currie Street Currie Street is a main street in the Adelaide city centre, South Australia.Map
of the

South Australian Society of Arts soon after his arrival, and proved to be an active member, participating in most exhibitions and was for some years its vice president. Their holidays were often spent with her sister, Florence Lake (died 25 November 1946), at "Lyndoch" on the Hopkins River near Warrnambool. During the Great War, Mrs Webb was active with the

Cheer-Up Society The Cheer-Up Society was a South Australian patriotic organisation founded during The Great War, whose aims were provision of creature comforts for soldiers in South Australia. Much of their activity was centred on the Cheer-up Hut, which they buil ...

in its work providing comforts for the "diggers". In 1917 they moved from their home at 18

South Terrace South Terrace may refer to: *South Terrace, Adelaide, Australia *South Terrace, Fremantle, Australia {{Road disambiguation ...

, Adelaide, to

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

to be closer to his wife's parents, who were of advanced years. He opened a studio in Stalbridge Chambers, Chancery Lane and lived at "Lalla Rookh", 41 Fellows St,

Kew Kew () is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its population at the 2011 census was 11,436. Kew is the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens ("Kew Gardens"), now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace. Kew is a ...

. In 1920 George Rolfe died, leaving a considerable sum (£23,000) in trust for Christina and her two children. Around 1925 he returned to Adelaide, where his daughter, Clarice Trott lived, and purchased a home at 3 Edwin Terrace, Gilberton. Christina died at Warrnambool in 1930 while staying with her sister. She had been in poor health for some time. George Webb appears to have done little in the way of painting from that time. He died in a nursing home in Adelaide on 16 August 1949. The newspapers made no mention of his passing, apart from a death notice, which made no mention of his family.

Exhibitions

In August 1894 the newly formed Melbourne Art Club had a showing at the Old Courthouse adjacent to the Town Hall, opened by the Chief Justice, which included works by Webb. Other notable exhibitors were: Charles S. Bennett,

Arthur Merric Boyd Arthur Merric Boyd (19 March 1862 – 30 July 1940) was an Australian painter. He and his wife Emma Minnie (née à Beckett) established a lifestyle of being artists which many generations followed to create the popular image of the Boyd fami ...

and Mrs. Boyd, J. W. Curtis, H. P. Gill, J. Lake, Bert Levy, Mrs. George Parsons, Charles Rolando (who had died in 1893), Henri Tebbitt, Lawrence Travers, W. Joseph Wadham In 1898 the South Australian Society of Arts held "The First Federal Art Exhibition" at the Institute Building on North Terrace which included three Australian scenes by Webb. Other exhibitors were James Ashton, H. Edward Davies, Gordon Coutts, A. J. Daplyn, Alfred R. Coffey, A. Henry Fullwood,

W. Lister Lister William Lister Lister (27 December 1859 – 6 November 1943) was an Australian painter who specialized in landscapes. He was awarded the Wynne Prize seven times. He was also a recipient of the Commonwealth Government prize for his painting of th ...

, H. P. Gill, Rosa C. Fiveash, Elizabeth Caroline Armstrong, Annie Watson Laughton, Helen Hambidge, Miss M. A. Walker, Albert A. Pedvin, Miss E. A. Bloxam, Mrs. M. C. Scott, Emily Meston, Ethel Anna Stephens, Julian R. Ashton,

Tom Roberts Thomas William Roberts (8 March 185614 September 1931) was an English-born Australian artist and a key member of the Heidelberg School art movement, also known as Australian impressionism. After studying in Melbourne, he travelled to Europe i ...

Sydney Long Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountains ...

, Alexander Colquhoun, T. St. George Tucker, Mrs. A. M. Boyd, J. Ford Paterson,

Walter Withers Walter Herbert Withers (22 October 1854 – 13 October 1914) was an English-born Australian landscape artist and a member of the Heidelberg School of Australian impressionists. Biography Withers was born at Handsworth, Staffordshire, the so ...

Norman Macgeorge Norman Macgeorge (8 July 1872 – 2 September 1952) was an artist and art critic in the colony and State of Victoria. History Norman Macgeorge, artist and collector, was a son of Rachel Elizabeth Macgeorge, née Luxmoore and Alexander Macgeorge, ...

, Helen A. Peters, Harold Septimus Power,

E. Phillips Fox Emanuel Phillips Fox (12 March 1865 – 8 October 1915) was an Australian impressionism, impressionist painter. After studying at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School in Melbourne, Fox travelled to Paris to study in 1886. He remained in ...

, Fred McCubbin, Margie White, Jean L. Wilson He was represented in almost every succeeding exhibition by the Society. In 1910 he held a one-man exhibition. Only one portrait was shown, (Chief Justice Samuel Way), with dozens of seascapes and landscapes in both water-color and oils: scenes in the Victorian Mallee and fern gullies, the Adelaide hills, on the River Torrens, the Buffalo Ranges (Victoria), the valley just below the viaduct near Blackwood, on the Belair Road, at Victor Harbor, Port Elliot, on the gulf coast, Backstairs Passage, near Strathalbyn, from the summit of Mount Lofty, and the Botanic Park. "Sunset on Lake Alexandrina" and "A Bushfire in the Grampians" created considerable interest.

Portraits

:This list, compiled from newspaper reports, is not exhaustive C H Goode 1903

John Lavington Bonython-1913-PRG280 1 14 296

1895 Archdeacon Stretch, hung in the Chapter House of the cathedral, Melbourne. 1893 Rev. Dr. L. D. Bevan D.D. 1899 Dr. Allan Campbell MLC (1836 – 30 October 1898) was purchased by his brother, Dr William Campbell. Sir Richard Butler 1899 Sir Samuel Way, was hung in the Supreme Court Building, Adelaide nearly twenty years after it was painted 1901 Rev. F. W. Cox of Congregational Church,

Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide Hindmarsh Square/Mukata (formerly Mogata) is one of five public squares in the Adelaide city centre, South Australia. It is located in the centre of the north-eastern quarter of the city, and surrounds the intersection of Grenfell and Pulten ...

1903

C. H. Goode Sir Charles Henry Goode (, 26 May 1827 – 5 February 1922) was a British Australian merchant, businessman, politician and philanthropist in the early days South Australia. He founded Goode, Durrant and Company in 1882. History He was born a ...

(26 May 1827 – 5 February 1922) businessman and philanthropist, held by the Art Gallery of South Australia An image of the painting may be seen here 1904 Colonel William Light purchased by John Lewis M.L.C. 1905 Group portrait of the Full Court consisting of Sir Samuel Way, Sir

James Boucaut Sir James Penn Boucaut (;) (29 October 1831 – 1 February 1916) was a South Australian politician and Australian judge. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly on four occasions: from 1861 to 1862 for City of Adelaide, from ...

, and Sir

Henry Bundey Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) *Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

with the master, A. Buchanan in the foreground, hung in the foyer of the Supreme Court of South Australia 1906 Sir Edwin Smith 1909 Charles Todd — Webb's offer of this painting to the Library board for 100 guineas was declined. 1910 Sir Richard Baker hung in the South Australian Jockey Club's committee room 1911 Thomas Templer of the Loyal Albert Lodge. 1911

John Creswell John Andrew Jackson Creswell (November 18, 1828December 23, 1891) was an American politician and abolitionist from Maryland, who served as United States Representative, United States Senator, and as Postmaster General of the United States app ...

, hung in Members Room,

Adelaide Oval Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the city centre and North Adelaide. The venue is predominantly used for cricket and Australian rules football, but has also played host to rugby ...

1912 E. L. Batchelor MLC presented to the Commonwealth Government by the Ottoman Society and shown at the Art Gallery 1912

John Warren John Warren may refer to: Medicine * John Warren (surgeon) (1753–1815), American surgeon during the Revolutionary War * John Collins Warren (1778–1856), American surgeon * John Collins Warren Jr. (1842–1927), American surgeon, son of John C ...

MLC of Mount Crawford 1913 A. Mackie, secretary of the Commercial Travellers' Club. 1914 Sir John Duncan of Watervale 1914 Sir

John Lavington Bonython Sir John Lavington Bonython (10 September 1875 – 6 November 1960) was a prominent public figure in Adelaide, known for his work in journalism, business and politics. In association with his father, he became involved in the management of n ...

1914 Sir

Joseph Lister Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister, (5 April 182710 February 1912) was a British surgeon, medical scientist, experimental pathologist and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery and preventative medicine. Joseph Lister revolutionised the craft of s ...

1914 Rev. C. W. Evan of

Stow Memorial Church Pilgrim Uniting Church is a church in the heart of the City on Flinders Street, Adelaide in South Australia. It is a church of the Uniting Church in Australia. Social justice, as articulated by the Uniting Church in Australia in the inaugural S ...

1928 Sir

William Brunton William Brunton Senior (26 May 1777 – 5 October 1851) was a Scottish engineer and inventor. Early life He was the eldest son of Robert Brunton, a watchmaker (14 Aug 1748–1834) of Dalkeith, where he was born. He studied mechanics in his fath ...

Sir William Hennessy Archbishop

Lowther Clarke Henry Lowther Clarke (23 November 1850 – 23 June 1926) was the fourth Anglican bishop and first archbishop of Melbourne, Australia. Early life Clarke was born at Firbank Vicarage, Westmorland, England, the son of the Revd William Clarke and ...

John Howard Angas 1915 Simon Harvey, an Adelaide timber merchant 1921 John Murray, Premier of Victoria 1918 Professor

Ralph Tate Ralph Tate (11 March 1840 – 20 September 1901) was a British-born botanist and geologist, who was later active in Australia. Early life Tate was born at Alnwick in Northumberland, the son of Thomas Turner Tate (1807–1888), a teacher of math ...

, a gift of Tate's daughter Mrs. W. L. McDonald to the Public Library of South Australia. and now held by the Art Gallery and may be viewed her

1920 Sir Edwin Smith and Edwin Thomas Smith, Lady Smith; both paintings held by the

Art Gallery of South Australia The Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), established as the National Gallery of South Australia in 1881, is located in Adelaide. It is the most significant visual arts museum in the Australian state of South Australia. It has a collection of ...

1925 Capt Harry Butler AFC, held by the

1927

Peter Waite Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

, commissioned by the University of Adelaide. 1928 Peter Goudie of

Port Adelaide Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is the main port for the ...

1930 Sir John A Cockburn presented to the S.A. School of Mines by Sir

Langdon Bonython Langdon may refer to: Places Australia * Langdon, Queensland, a neighbourhood in the Mackay Region Canada * Langdon, Alberta, a hamlet United Kingdom * Langdon, Cornwall, a hamlet * Langdon, Kent, a civil parish * Langdon, Pembrokeshire ...

and originally hung in Brookman Hall.

Hung in Melbourne Town Hall

:Five or six portraits by Webb were destroyed in the

Town Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

fire of 1925. 1901 Sir

Malcolm McEacharn Sir Malcolm Donald McEacharn (8 February 1852 – 10 March 1910) was Mayor of Melbourne from 1897 to 1900. He was a well-known Australian shipping magnate in the early part of the twentieth century and successfully stood for the Division of Me ...

, Lord Mayor of Melbourne 1897-1900 1918 Sir David Hennessy, Lord Mayor of Melbourne 1912-1917 William Whyte Cabena, Lord Mayor of Melbourne 1918-1919 1922

John Aikman John George Aikman (24 June 1858 – 29 July 1928) was an Australian politician. He was born in Prahran to surveyor Robert Aikman and Ann Davis Woodman. He attended a private school in Brunswick, leaving at the age of twelve to work as a print ...

MLC, Lord Mayor of Melbourne 1919-1920 1924 Sir John Warren Swanson, Lord Mayor of Melbourne 1920-1923 1928 Sir

, Lord Mayor of Melbourne 1923-1926

Hung in Legislative Council chamber, Parliament House, Adelaide

1902 Sir Richard Baker

Hung in House of Assembly chamber, Parliament House, Adelaide

1912 Sir

Jenkin Coles Sir Jenkin Coles (19 January 1843 – 6 December 1911) was a South Australian politician. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1875 to 1878 and 1881 to 1911, representing the electorates of Light (1875–78, 1881–190 ...

1917 Sir Frederick Holder, donated by Langdon Bonython 1923 Hon. A. H. Peake 1928 Sir Richard Butler

Hung in Parliament House, Canberra

1913 Sir Frederick Holder

Other works

:This is a representative list from hundreds of works, to give an idea of subjects chosen by Webb. "A view on the River, under the shadow of the famous Buffalo Ranges, Victoria" displayed in the entrance of Hopwood and James's shop, Launceston in June 1890. "The Devil's Punchbowl near Launceston" "Launceston By Sunset" and "Prize Hereford Ox", the property of Dr. L. G. Thompson and Roderick O'Connor respectively, loaned in 1892 to the Victorian Art Gallery. "Sunrise: Hall's Gap in the Grampians", "Mooley's Track, Fernshawe", "Mount Wellington, Tasmania", "The Cascades, Mount Wellington", "In the Ranges near Warburton" "Hall's Gap, the Grampians", "In the Buckland Ranges" sold to unknown buyers October 1895 "In the Highlands of Scotland" and "A Sunny Day near Cape Otway" were exhibited at an Adelaide Society of Arts exhibition in 1897 "In the Mount Lofty Ranges, near Waverley Ridge" was exhibited at an Adelaide Society of Arts exhibition in 1899 "Old Payneham Bridge" held by Broken Hill Public Art Gallery "Torrens Lake, Adelaide" (unknown buyer) "Bush Track", "Kangaroos" and "Emus at Sunset" were exhibited in 1898 "A Country Road" "Australian Pastures" was exhibited in 1905 "The Bush at Fernshaw" exhibited in 1909 "Rounding Up Horses in the Danger Zone" exhibited at the 1912 Federal Exhibition demonstrated his ability to paint horses.

Family

His sister Frances "Fanny" Webb married the painter Charles Rolando (1844-1893) around 1874. She married again, to W. Broughton Hall (died ca. 8 October 1935) on 5 July 1899. He married Christina Elizabeth "Crissie" Lake ( – 19 January 1930), daughter of John and Jane Ann Lake and step-daughter of George Rolfe (ca. 1837 – 10 September 1919) on 4 October 1892. :Rolfe was a son of the Hon. George Rolfe. He married the widow Lake at

Balaclava, Victoria Balaclava is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 7 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Port Phillip local government area. Balaclava recorded a population of 5,392 at the 2021 c ...

on 2 June 1891. Christina died at Warrnambool, and was the subject of a touching tribute in ''The Advertiser''. Their children were: * Clarice, married Leonard W. Trott DDS in April 1920, lived at "Deepdene", 23 Fitzroy Terrace, North Adelaide, then from 1936 "Carawatha", 3 Edwin Terrace,

Gilberton, South Australia Gilberton (formerly Gilbert Town) is an inner northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia on the northern bank of the River Torrens. It is a short distance from Adelaide's city centre. It is bounded by the river, Park Terrace, Stephen Terrace a ...

:*Ninette (24 July 1923 – 2007) married Geoffrey Dutton (2 August 1922 – ) on 31 July 1944 :*Elizabeth "Helen" Trott (3 October 1926 – ) married Theodore "Bill" Bruce (1923–2002) on 1 October 1949. Bill, son of a prominent Adelaide auctioneer, was a champion athlete who competed in the 1948 (London) Olympic Games. :*Janet Myra Trott (3 October 1926 – ) married Geoffrey Richard Villiers (9 December 1924 – ) on 23 October 1948. * George Rolfe Webb (ca. March 1893 – ) was a corporal in the Australian Army and served for a time in

Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine in northern France. It is the prefecture of the Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one of ...

, France, returning to Australia in 1918. He married and farmed at "Bonnington", Boorcan, Victoria (between

Terang Terang is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is in the Shire of Corangamite and on the Princes Highway south west of the state's capital, Melbourne. At the , Terang had a population of 1,824. At the 2001 census, T ...

and Camperdown). :*Mary Florence ( – ) married Dr. Peter D. Graeme Fox R.A.N.R. of Nedlands, Western Australia on 6 February 1946 A caricature of the 41 year artist may be seen here

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Webb, George Alfred John Webb Australian portrait painters 1861 births 1949 deaths 19th-century English painters 20th-century English painters English male painters 20th-century English male artists 19th-century English male artists