Lot 933: Harry Pelling Gill O/C Australian Landscape Painting, The Coming Shower

Harry Pelling Gill (England/Australia, 1855-1916) oil on canvas landscape painting entitled “The Coming Shower.” Cattle and sheep huddle beneath a group of trees as storm clouds gather over a vista with a river and distant mountains. A man watches the coming storm from between the trees at left and a small house stands on the bank of the river at right. Signed “H Gill,” lower right. Titled, dated, and additionally signed en verso. Housed in an ornate giltwood frame. Sight: 15 in. H x 23 1/2 in. W. Framed:  21 in. H x 29 in. W. 1891. Biographical Note: Harry Pelling Gill, art curator and teacher, was born in Brighton, Sussex, England, the son of a master dairyman. He was educated at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School and at the local art school as an evening student. In 1877 he won a scholarship to the National Art Training School, South Kensington, London (Royal College of Art), which he held for five years and combined with teaching. In 1882 the Board of Governors of the South Australian Institute (from 1884 the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery of South Australia) chose Gill as master of the school of design, one of its two art departments. In 1892 he was appointed honorary curator of the art gallery and, following the resignation in December of Louis Tannert as master of the school of painting, Gill assumed control of all the board’s art teaching activities. Gill had shown promise as an artist and hoped to win repute in Australia. However, teaching and administration had left little time for his painting. His rare decorative and aesthetic compositions, and also his landscapes, are painted with meticulous detail without sacrificing the overall unified effect. (Adapted from G.L. Fischer, Australian Dictionary of Biography)

PROVENANCE: Private Middle Tennessee Collection.

CONDITION: Overall very good condition. with craquelure throughout. Scattered retouching, especially to frame abrasions, largest area to path at lower left, 2 inches x 1/2 inch. Repaired minor punctures to rightmost third, in sky and in distant mountains. Frame with negligible abrasions and losses.