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In 1846, the first settler of South Australia’s
Clare Valley, John Ainsworth Horrocks, mounted a small expedition to
search for arable land in the desert country northwest of Mount Arden
in the southern Flinders Ranges. The party of six men included Samuel
Thomas Gill, the English trained watercolourist and printmaker, who
had arrived
at the fledgling colony in 1839, only three years after its settlement.
At his parting dinner, Gill declared that he hoped: ‘to give
a full, true and accurate report of his adventures with ... faithful
scenic representations’.
Gill sketched assiduously throughout the trip, often taking his
paper and painting materials to a high point in order to draw a panoramic
view of the surrounding country or the next day’s prospect.
The resulting watercolours are very much a narrative of the journey,
and often include identifiable portraits of both men and animals,
as well as dates of execution and details of dress and behaviour.
Gill often included himself in the scene and the accuracy of the
colour and form with which he depicted the topography and vegetation
demonstrates his acute observation and recording skills.
The eight finished watercolours in the National Library’s
collection vividly portray the locations and events of the expedition
as well as the dangers and hardships experienced in a hostile landscape. |
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