William Gilbert Collins (1889–1957)

Untitled Landscape (Melbourne Autumn)

Oil on canvas on board

44 x 44 cm (frame 54 x 54 cm) 

Signed and dated lower right, inscribed verso.

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THE GEN

THE BEST OF ALL HE HAS DONE

William Gilbert Collins was born in Bealiba in 1889, the eldest son of a farmer, and his family later relocated to Moonee Ponds. William spent his life studying in and painting his hometown of Melbourne. His first art lessons were in Sydney with Julian Ashton and he subsequently received lessons from Dattilo Rubbo and James R. Jackson. Between 1920 and 1926 he studied at the National Gallery Art School in Melbourne, under William McInnes and Bernard Hall, and was awarded the Hugh Ramsay Prize in 1924.

In October 1926, William married Vesta Grace Carah at the Moonee Ponds Methodist Church. Vesta was born in Ballarat in 1899 and afterwards her family moved to Ascot Vale. She studied at the National Gallery Art School in Melbourne from 1918 to 1926. Vesta died in November 1930, at the age of 31, and William was a widower for the remainder of his life.

William was a portrait, still life and landscape painter who was actively involved in the Victorian Artists’ Society (VAS) for many years. He regularly exhibited his work with the VAS, served as a member of its council and attended its social events. Among the works that he exhibited with the VAS were: Miss Vesta Carah; The Finishing Touch; Mrs E.G. Carah; Flower Study; Evening Dress; Quiet Corner, Black Rock; Bronze Hills; Midsummer Sun; Bathing Sheds; Gladioli; At Keilor; and Study of Rocks. William was a finalist in the Archibald Prize with several of his self-portraits (1938, 1941, 1943 and 1952) and with his portraits of Miss Vesta Carah (1925, 1927 and 1944), Mrs Dando (1926), Mrs J.H. Collins (1933), Mrs Robert Neale (1949), Dennis Dyer (1951) and My Sister (1955).

In 1941 he was a finalist in the Wynne Prize with the landscape Rocks and distance. He also exhibited with the Fern Tree Gully Arts Society in 1949.

In April 1957, William’s only solo exhibition was held at the Athenaeum Gallery in Melbourne and he was “eager to show the best of all he has done” (Art Notes, Long Road to First Exhibition, The Age, Tuesday 16 April 1957, page 2). The exhibition included a small portrait that he painted, untaught, at the age of 17. He acknowledged the artists that were involved in his earlier training and also William Dargie for a recent refresher course. Some of the works in the exhibition were Point Lonsdale Lighthouse; At Keilor; Maribyrnong, Arundel; The Shawl; and Flowering Gum.

Sadly, William died a month after this exhibition in May 1957 at the age of 67.

 © 2026 Georgegen. All rights reserved.

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