Stella Bowen

Stella Bowen (1893–1947) was born in Adelaide and studied drawing for a short time under the inspiring guidance of Margaret Preston then Rose Mcpherson). Fatherless at three and an orphan at twenty, and with an allowance from her parents’ estate, in 1914 she set sail for England, where she lived most of her life. While studying at the Westminster School of Art in London, Bowen became associated with a bohemian milieu. In 1918 she met writer Ford Madox Ford. Her association with him lasted nine years and they had a daughter Julia in 1920, while trying to balance her relationship and motherhood, she had little time for her painting pursuits. However, Bowen did travel to Italy in 1923 where she was inspired by the expressive gestures and rich textures used by 14th century Italian painters Giotto and Botticelli. Bowen left Ford in 1928 and she began to paint again, gaining work through commissioned portraits which provided her with a regular income.

Stella Bowen, born Adelaide, South Australia 1893, died London, England 1947, Ford Madox Ford playing solitaire, mid-1920s, London , oil on wood panel, 41.2 x 32.8 cm; Gift of Ann Croser, Dr Michael Drew, Geoffrey Hackett-Jones, Penelope Hackett-Jones, Dr Michael Hayes and David McKee through the Art Gallery of South Australia Foundation Collectors Club 2003, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, photo: Saul Steed.

Self portrait was painted shortly after Bowen separated from Ford. Dominating the picture plane, the subject meets our eye directly with a penetrating gaze. Lit crisply from the side, Bowen’s face is thrown into the shadow. Her expression reveals a degree of contemplation. Smartly dressed, with her painting smock tied loosely at her neck and with her hair combed back, she presents herself as a woman of strong-will, determined to pursue a professional career.

In Bowen’s minimally furnished rooms, figures are often absent, traceable only in the drape of sheer curtains or in the imprint of a cushion. In Paris, interior, 1931, two armchairs are illuminated by the diffused light from a nearby window. This scene of luminosity and warmth belongs to Bowen’s attic bedroom in her Parisian apartment. Her painted expression reflects her written description of the apartment, as a symbol of her ‘new independent life’ and of ‘safety and permanence and a comforting sense of familiar things used and understood’. [1]

[1] Stella Bowen, Drawn from life: a memoir, Picador, Sydney, 1999 (1941), p. 183. In this passage the artist is discussing Paris in reference to London, p. 220.

Stella Bowen, born Adelaide, South Australia 1893, died London, England 1947, Paris, interior, 1931, Paris, watercolour, pencil on paper on cardboard, 55.0 x 38.0 cm; Gift of Suzanne Brookman, the artist's niece, through the Art Gallery of South Australia Foundation 2012. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.

Compare
  • Describe Bowen’s pose, gesture and attire. Find three examples of a portrait where the sitters’ pose, gesture and attire are very different. What does this suggest about the sitter?
  • Locate other examples of portraits of women. How have portraits of women changed over time? How are they different to portraits of men?
Looking closely
  • What is the expression on Bowen’s face in her self portrait? Recreate Bowen’s expression and photograph your attempt. Compare your expression to other members of the class.
  • Does Bowen’s expression appear soft and gentle or cold and hard? Provide reasons for your response.
Responding

Find a work of art that depicts an interior. Write a story about the person or people that live in this space? What objects give you clues about who they are?

Making
  • Bowen was inspired by 14th century Renaissance painters and their ability to capture the unique appearance of the subject thus expressing an individual identity. Create a self-portrait which reveals your identity.
  • Research different depictions of women throughout art history and document the changes. Create a portrait of a woman in your life which captures their experience of being a woman today. If you do not know them well, you may need to interview them.
  • Draw or paint the scene outside your window, either at home or at school.
  • Create a still life of objects and things that make you feel safe.
War artists
  • During the Second World War Bowen was one of the five women appointed by the Australian War Memorial as an official war artist. She was employed from 1943–1944 for the primary purpose of recording members Royal Australian Air Force stationed in Britain.

    Official war artists are commissioned by the Australian War Memorial and play a significant role in Australia’s interpretation of wartime history. Investigate Australian war artists who have been commissioned under this scheme since the First World War to today. How has their role and style changed over time? Considering the digital world in which we live, does the Australian War Memorial need to continue to engage with artists? Divide the class and conduct a debate with the topic:

    “The Australian War Memorial needs to continue funding for official war artists. Use a variety of artists to support your arguments for and against”.
  • Complete a case study on official war artists Stella Bowen, Sybil Craig and Nora Heysen. Compare each artist’s approach to this subject matter.