Clarice Beckett (1887-1935)

Clarice Beckett’s works, rediscovered by Dr Rosalind Hollinrake in a country shed in Victoria, have cemented her legacy as an invaluable figure in Australian art history. Beckett’s mastery of soft-focus realism and atmospheric tonality captures the quiet moments of a nation on the cusp of modernisation.

Her approach, guided under the influence of Max Meldrum, one of Australia’s early tonalists, emphasises the profound interplay of light and shade. Meldrum encouraged Beckett to trust her instincts, allowing her to distil the essence of her surroundings through a prioritisation of tone, whether in the brooding cityscapes of Melbourne or the gradual luminosity of a sunrise or sunset.

Beckett’s work, ‘Soft Evening’, demonstrates perfectly the artists intention “to give a sincere and truthful representation of a portion of the beauty of Nature and to show the charm of light and shade, which I try to set forth in correct tones so as to give as nearly as possible an exact illusion of reality.”[1]

To support the publication of ‘Clarice Beckett: The Artist and Her Circle’ by Dr Rosalind Hollinrake, ‘Soft Evening’ was loaned to Realities Gallery to be exhibited within ‘Clarice Beckett: Retrospective Exhibition’ in 1979. This exhibition showcased approximately 160 artworks, hung gradually from sunrise to sunset to explore the artists distinctions in tonality, colour and emotion over varying periods of the day.

Beckett’s minimalist approach belies the depth and intensity of her atmospheric renderings. Her paintings transcend static representations, instead evoking the transient moods of nature through fluid, diffusing hues. In ‘Soft Evening,’ Beckett seamlessly merges sea and sky in a luminous display of soft pinks and calming greys that evoke the expansive serenity of the coast. Through her plein air practice, Beckett captured the ephemeral qualities of light, dissolving the boundaries between day and night, presence, and absence. The fleeting radiance of the sun, though no longer visible, lingers in her compositions, preserving the moment’s vibrant luminosity.

‘Soft Evening’ is one of the few artworks by Beckett that are dual sided. Verso lies a preparatory painting of a glistening cityscape at nightfall reminiscent of her earlier works of Princes Bridge c.1930. The duality of dark and light in her work is embodied on a singular board as the sun sets over the trees on one side and dusk falls onto the other.

Millie Lewis, Art Assistant

[1] Clarice Beckett, ‘20 Melbourne painters’, 6th Annual Exhibition Catalogue, 1924, quoted in Frances Lindsay, ‘Foreword’, in Rosalind Hollinrake, Clarice Beckett: Politically incorrect, The Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne, 1999, p 19

Top Image: Clarice Beckett (1887-1935) Soft Evening, Study for Princes Bridge c.1930 (verso) oil on board, double-sided, 20.5 x 20.5cm. $20,000 – $30,000

September 2024