Harry Garlick painted The drover in response to the ‘Federation
drought’, which began in 1895 and reached its climax in the
summer of 1901–02. Officially lasting until 1903, the drought
had a devastating effect on the sheep, cattle and wheat-farming
industries throughout much of Australia. Garlick had painted
earlier responses to the drought, such as Drought stricken1902
(present whereabouts unknown). It is possible that The drover
was painted in the Orange or Bathurst regions of western New
South Wales where Garlick was born and lived until 1896. In the
heat of the midday sun a drover leads his flock along an arid
stock route, the artist’s use of perspective emphasising the
distance between the drover and his flock and the hills on the
horizon. The drover is indicative of Garlick’s interest in
pastoral scenes. As a young man he travelled each week from
Orange to Bathurst to attend painting classes with Sydney
painter Arthur Collingridge. After relocating to Sydney from
Orange in 1896 he attended night classe