Ballaarat Flat from the Black Hill. ST Gill Victorian goldfields Antique Print c1857

by Gill, Samuel Thomas

S.T.Gill antique print of Ballarat Flat from Black Hill, c1857. Early spelling of Ballarat mining town in Victoria in Australia where ST Gill did many sketches of life during the gold rush in Australia.

Original steel engraving by James Tingle after the sketch by Samuel Thomas (S.T.) Gill (1818-1880) for Victoria Illustrated, published in Melbourne circa 1857.

Starting work as an artist in London, at 21 Gill migrated from London to Adelaide with his family. He found work as a portrait artist but was soon led astray by the gold discoveries. Without success on the South Australian goldfields he went with his brother to Victoria. He had more success with his character studies of life on the goldfields, and spent the next few years travelling around Victoria and New South Wales, recording the topography and life on the goldfields. S.T. Gill antique prints are now great historic records of the joys and sorrows endured during the goldrushes. Gill returned to Melbourne, and the fine engravings for his Victoria Illustrated are a wonderfully delicate graphic reminder of colonial life in Australia.

This engraving has fine later hand-colour. Unfortunately there is a little soiling, but it does not detract from the wonderful record of a gold digger with his pick and bucket on the way to the gold field. Page size is 20 x 28cm (8" x 11"). 

Original steel engraving by James Tingle after the sketch by Samuel Thomas (S.T.) Gill (1818-1880) for Victoria Illustrated published in Melbourne circa 1857.

After being an artist in London, at 21 Gill migrated from London to Adelaide with his family. He found work as a portrait artist but was soon led astray by the gold discoveries. Without success on the South Australian goldfields he went with his brother to Victoria. He had more success with his character studies of life on the goldfields, and spent the next few years travelling around Victoria and New South Wales, recording the topography and life on the goldfields. S.T. Gill antique prints are now great historic records of the joys and sorrows endured during the goldrushes. Gill returned to Melbourne, and the fine engravings for his Victoria Illustrated are a wonderfully delicate graphic reminder of colonial life in Australia.

This fine engraving has a crease across the top left corner, and has a little soiling at left and a faint ink 9 at top right. Page size is 21 x 28cm (8 x11 inches).