Agnes Goodsir

Agnes Goodsir
Australian 1864–1939

Still life: study of lemons c. 1930
oil on canvas
Geelong Gallery
Gift of Mrs Rachael Dunn, 1947

Born in Portland in Western Victoria, Agnes Goodsir studied art at the Bendigo School of Mines, where she was encouraged to pursue further studies abroad. In 1900, Goodsir travelled between London and Paris, before settling in Paris where she established a reputation for female portraiture. In the 1930s, deteriorating health saw her confined to her studio and she turned her attention to still-life painting.

As demonstrated in Still life: study of lemons, Goodsir composed domestic objects, fruits and draped fabrics, to experiment with reflective surfaces, light and shadow.