Called In the woods it was painted by the little known Australian artist Iso (Isobel) Rae in 1892 in France. We would like to include it in the exhibition Australian Impressionists in France opening later this year.
Rae had been one of the ‘best and brightest’ of the National Gallery School students and in 1887 left Melbourne bound for Paris. It was a revolutionary time in French art and from the little we know of Rae it appears that she was open to many of these new influences. Rae exhibited a version of In the woods with the breakaway ‘New Salon’ during the 1890s, a great achievement at that time. Rae never returned to Australia and has become somewhat lost to Australian art.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of this painting please contact facebook@ngv.vic.gov.au.
Australian Impressionists in France opens at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia on 15 June. Tickets on sale now.