Rain in the hills, Gerringong

On retirement in 1955, Herbert Gallop summarised his considerable printmaking output to that time of copper plate prints, etchings and aquatints at approximately 120 plates. Although little has been published on his work, his early etchings were favourably compared during his lifetime with those of his contemporary Elioth Gruner.

Gallop's paintings, watercolours and etchings were principally of landscape around Sydney, the Southern Highlands and South coast of New South Wales. He lived and painted in rural Meadowbank on the north-western outskirts of Sydney, basing much of his work on the landscape of the district with its dairy farms and orchards. Towards the end of his life, Gallop spent more time on the South coast near Gerringong where he built a holiday home, planning to spend more time there on retirement.

'Rain in the hills, Gerringong' reflects Gallop's interest in relatively undeveloped landscape that had flourished through friendship as a young man with conservation and bushwalking pioneer Myles Dunphy.