Grace Cossington Smith - National Gallery of Australia

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Grace Cossington Smith Four panels for a screen: loquat tree, gum and wattle trees, waterfall, picnic in a gully 1929
LANDSCAPE Grace Cossington Smith Four panels for a screen: loquat tree, gum and wattle trees, waterfall, picnic in a gully 1929 oil on cardboard National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Purchased 1976 A thread that runs through the work of Grace Cossington Smith is her contented view of the world around her – the suburban life of North Shore Turramurra, where she lived for most of her life. Although much of her subject matter was fairly conservative – still lifes, landscapes, fl ower studies, portraits, interiors and cityscapes – her radical, adventurous treatment of these subjects placed her in a realm of her own. She often stated her interest in the works of European masters, such as Cézanne, Van Gogh and Gauguin, and incorporated stylistic elements from these artists into her own art, which resulted in paintings of great vigour and originality. Four panels for a screen: loquat tree, gum and wattle trees, waterfall, picnic in a gully was painted in 1929; it was commissioned by Gladys MacDermot a collector who, on a visit to Sydney, had admired and bought one of Cossington Smith’s Bridge paintings. The four panels were displayed individually in an exhibition in 1932 at the Walker’s Galleries in London before being made into a screen. Despite favourable reviews, MacDermot did not approve of the panels and they were left with Cossington Smith’s sister Mabel, who lived in England. There they stayed until they were purchased for the National Gallery of Australia in 1976. The fi rst two panels illustrate fl owers and trees from the artist’s garden in Turramurra, while the second two are bushland panels that describe the bush nearby. Visual analysis The unusual, tall format suits the subject matter of trees, waterfalls and rocky outcrops. To counteract this verticality Cossington Smith uses many horizontal curved forms that describe foliage, the foreground, rocks, falling water and the sky. The colour is high-keyed and opaque, with each brushstroke applied deftly. Discussion point •In what way was Grace Cossington Smith pushing the boundaries of contemporary art?
Page 1 and 2: Grace Cossington Smith A RETROSPECT
Page 3 and 4: GRACE COSSINGTON SMITH BIOGRAPHICAL
Page 5 and 6: PORTRAITS Grace Cossington Smith St
Page 7 and 8: FAMILY Grace Cossington Smith Portr
Page 9 and 10: WAR Grace Cossington Smith The sock
Page 11 and 12: WAR Grace Cossington Smith Dawn lan
Page 13 and 14: CITY LIFE Grace Cossington Smith Ce
Page 15 and 16: CITY LIFE Grace Cossington Smith Th
Page 17 and 18: CITY LIFE Grace Cossington Smith Th
Page 19: LANDSCAPE Grace Cossington Smith Ea
Page 23 and 24: FLOWERS Grace Cossington Smith Poin
Page 25 and 26: RELIGION Grace Cossington Smith Chu
Page 27 and 28: INTERIORS Grace Cossington Smith In
Page 29 and 30: INTERIORS Grace Cossington Smith In
Page 31: TRAVEL Grace Cossington Smith Top d

Grace Cossington Smith - National Gallery of Australia

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