The son of a convict, William Piguenit was born in 1836 in Hobart Town. Taking art lessons, he was commended for his skills in drawing, mapping and penmanship and was employed as a draftsman with the Tasmanian Survey Office. He moved to Sydney in 1875, but travelled extensively in search of landscape subjects.

This view is of the Grose Vale, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Piguenit spent time at an artists’ camp established by Eccleston Du Faur, founder of the Geographical Society of Australia, who owned land at Mount Wilson. Alongside photographer Alex Bischoff, Piguenit brought the beauty of the Blue Gum Forest to public attention, which resulted in the protection of the area.

Piguenit exhibited in Europe and painted on commission for the NSW government In 1901, his Thunderstorm on the Darling won the Wynne prize.