Trees - Grace Cossington Smith

A modernist study of trees, rendered with rhythmic, mosaic-like brushstrokes and a cool, atmospheric colour palette.

Grace Cossington Smith was a pioneer of Australian Modernism, known for her distinctive approach to colour and light. In this work, she applies a rhythmic, mosaic-like application of paint to capture the natural environment. The composition is structured through a series of short, deliberate brushstrokes that break the visual field into small, interlocking planes of colour. This technique creates a sense of movement across the surface, as the eye travels between the dense foliage and the skeletal forms of the trees. The palette relies on cool tones, with deep blues, teals, and soft purples dominating the scene. These colours are balanced by lighter, warmer highlights that suggest the dappled effect of sunlight filtering through the canopy. Rather than aiming for a realistic depiction, the artist focuses on the structural qualities of the trees and the way light interacts with their forms. The foreground features a series of horizontal bands, which ground the composition and provide a contrast to the verticality of the trunks. Cossington Smith often drew inspiration from her immediate surroundings, particularly the garden and bushland near her home in Turramurra. Her work reflects an interest in the formal properties of painting, such as the relationship between colour and space. By simplifying the natural world into geometric patterns, she invites the viewer to observe the underlying order within the organic chaos of the forest. This piece demonstrates her ability to transform a familiar subject into a study of light and rhythm, maintaining a balance between representation and abstraction. Her contribution to the development of early twentieth-century Australian art remains significant for its clarity of vision and technical precision.