Flannel flowers and gum leaves - Grace Cossington Smith

A modernist still life by Grace Cossington Smith, featuring Australian native flora rendered with rhythmic, broken brushstrokes and an earthy palette.

Grace Cossington Smith, a pioneer of Australian Modernism, produced this study of native flora during a period when she was increasingly focused on the interplay of light and colour. The work depicts the iconic Australian flannel flower alongside the foliage of the eucalyptus tree. Her approach to the subject moves away from traditional representation, favouring a rhythmic application of paint that captures the tactile quality of the petals and leaves.

Cossington Smith utilised a technique of small, broken brushstrokes, which creates a sense of movement across the surface of the board. The composition is dense, with the flowers and leaves filling the frame, leaving little space for a background. This choice directs the viewer to the structural patterns of the plants themselves. The palette consists of earthy tones, including ochre, deep green, and muted white, which reflect the natural colours of the Australian bush.

Her work from this era is noted for its rejection of academic realism in favour of a more subjective interpretation of form. By breaking down the visual field into distinct, rhythmic marks, she communicates the energy of the subject rather than a static likeness. This piece demonstrates her ability to transform everyday botanical subjects into a structured arrangement of colour and light. The artist's signature is visible in the lower left, confirming her hand in the work. As a significant figure in the development of twentieth-century Australian art, her focus on the domestic and the natural world provided a unique perspective on the local environment, rendered through a modernist lens.