George William PILKINGTON (1879 – 1958)
Entrance To Old Harbour
1954
oil on canvas
size unknown
BIOGRAPHY
George William Pilkington was a South African painter. Although he was mainly self-taught, he was instructed by James Ford, a well-known Cape Town art-teacher of the 1890s.
In 1905, he was elected a lay member of South African Society of Artists, as painting was only a hobby to him at that time. He became a civil servant, serving as private secretary to Henry Burton, who was variously Minister of Finance and Minister of Railways and Harbours.
Pilkington was a keen yachtsman and trout fisherman. In 1924, he began a full-time painting career, devoting himself almost exclusively to marine subjects.
His paintings caused a sensation when shown for the first time in Johannesburg. He later also produced two commissioned murals – Disembarkation at Cape Town, 19th Century, and Embarking at Cape Town, 20th Century – for the Cape Town Post Office. Occasionally he also produced cartoons and caricatures.
He made numerous dramatic oil paintings of naval battle scenes during World War II.
His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1948 Summer Olympics.