(b Melbourne, 23 Jan. 1927; d Melbourne, 22 Apr. 1982). Australian painter and printmaker, regarded as the most original portrayer of his country's landscape. He studied in Melbourne, 1944–9, then in London, 1951–6. His earliest etchings, often with music-hall subjects, were produced at about this time. He returned to Australia in 1957, and from the late 1950s began to paint landscapes revealing a distinctly personal vision of the country's landscape, such as Charcoal Burner (1959, NG of Victoria, Melbourne). Unlike other modern Australian artists who had memorably portrayed aspects of their country's landscape (notably Arthur Boyd, Russell Drysdale, and Sidney Nolan), Williams rarely featured the human figure in his paintings and his work conveys a sense of primeval mystery and remoteness.