Australia gives famous painting to Charles and Camilla

CANBERRA - A landscape painting by Australian artist Fred Williams will be Australia's official wedding gift to Charles and Camilla.

Prime Minister John Howard said Williams (1927-1982) was considered one of Australia's greatest landscape artists who captured a unique vision of the essence of the Australian landscape.

"I am pleased to announce today that the gift from the government and people of Australia on the occasion of the marriage between His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker-Bowles is a work by the artist Fred Williams," Mr Howard said in a statement today.

The painting will be the 1962 work Saplings created soon after Williams' return to Australia from the UK with a mission to paint a gum tree.

This was a time when Williams' interest in printmaking was at its peak.

"During the 1960s Williams was inspired by the forested hills of Victoria around Melbourne," Mr Howard said in the statement.

"His Royal Highness would be familiar with the environment as a result of his time at the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School."

Williams' work was featured in a major exhibition at the British Museum in London in 2003 and his work is represented in all major public collections in Australia and also in museums in Europe and America.

In an official message of congratulations to the couple Mr Howard offered best wishes for a long and happy future together.

"It was a great pleasure to welcome you, Your Royal Highness, to Australia again recently," he said.

"The strength of your feelings for our country was clearly evident during your visit and was reflected in the warmth of the welcome you received.

"I hope that we will be able to welcome you both in the future."

- AAP