An interior

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries European travel was considered critical to an artist’s development. Bessie Davidson was one of a large contingent of Australian artists who left their homeland to explore the excitement of the French and British capitals. Yet, unlike so many artists, Davidson elected never to return to Australia. Training initially under Rose McPherson (later known as Margaret Preston) in Adelaide, Davidson continued her studies at the famed Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris, establishing herself in the artistic milieu of Montparnasse and associating with artists such as Felix Degranges and Rene-Xavier Prinet. She exhibited extensively at the Paris Salons and was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, the highest award conferred by the French Government. Much acclaimed in her lifetime, Davidson was a founding member of the Salon de Tuileries and Secretary of the Femmes Artiste Moderne (Modern Women Artists) and had her work acquired by the French Government for the state collection.

Davidson’s early works show the influence of the German narrative tradition and those of her teacher, Rose McPherson. Her relocation to Paris marked a new direction in her work and Davidson embraced the energy and vibrancy of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. She was a bold colourist, with her French works characterised by their confident and somewhat spare application of paint and concomitant joyful exploration of colour. As evidenced in An interior, Davidson’s preferred mode of expression was the domestic or feminine sphere: she took inspiration from her home and furnishings, creating intimate interiors, portraits of friends, floral arrangements and still lifes. Davidson also possessed a great ability to capture light and shadow to striking effect, in An interior highlighting the intimacy of the small child playing, but placing her in the light streaming through the typically Parisian windows.

Tansy Curtin, Curator, International Art pre–1980