Lambert began exhibiting his pictures at the Art Society and the Society of Artists, Sydney in 1894. Lambert began contributing pen-and-ink cartoons for
The Bulletin in 1895 and began painting full-time in 1896. His painting
Anzac, the landing 1915 of the
landings on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey, is the largest painting at the
Australian War Memorial collection. Lambert, as an honorary captain, travelled to Gallipoli in 1919 to make sketches for the painting. During the war years, George Lambert spent much time in London, where it is suggested he was romantically involved with fellow artist
Thea Proctor.
Return to Australia Lambert returned to Australia in 1921, where he had success in
Melbourne with a one-man show at
Fine Art Society gallery. He was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1922. He often visited the homestead of Colonel
Granville Ryrie of the
Australian Light Horse at
Michelago, New South Wales and there painted ''
The Squatter's Daughter and Michelago Landscape''. In the second annual
Archibald Prize in 1922, now Australia's most prestigious art prize for portraiture, Lambert's work was disqualified as he had not been a resident in Australia for twelve months. He submitted a self-portrait for the third year, competing with
William Macleod who entered with the subject of
The Bulletin cartoonist
'Hop' Hopkins. In 1927 he won the
Archibald Prize with
Mrs Annie Murdoch, a portrait of the mother of
Keith Murdoch and grandmother of
Rupert Murdoch. In November 1927 he was commissioned to create a statue of writer
Henry Lawson; the work depicting Lawson in rough clothes accompanied by a swagman, a dog and a fence post was unveiled in
The Domain, Sydney on 28 July 1931 by the
Governor of New South Wales, Sir
Philip Game. ==Personal life==