Go Back

Leila Boothroyd (Aust., 1899–1979).

Swanston Street [Melbourne]

c1924. Watercolour on silk, signed lower left, 39 x 34.5cm. Slight foxing to upper portion. Framed.

Considered to be one of Boothroyd’s masterpieces.

“At the very same time that Clarice Beckett had begun exhibiting her misty landscapes of beachside Melbourne, another local artist became similarly renowned for depicting the capital's misty, inner-city streetscapes. This was Leila, christened Laura Eleanor, Boothroyd (1899–1979) who was the daughter of Elizabeth Strahan & John Boothroyd of Ballarat. As the art critic of The Age commented, her ‘studies of streets seen under the glamor of passing weather effects…show a marvellous sense of decoration.’”

“Throughout the 1920s Boothroyd became a regular contributor to exhibitions held by the Victorian Artists' Society and the Fine Arts Society and went on to hold at least four one-woman exhibitions. After her initial training under Bernard Hall at the National Gallery School she first attracted critical attention in 1923. This was when she was included in a group exhibition held by the Fine Art Society in November and was praised as a ‘young lady [who] possesses the decorative sense in a high degree.’”

“Boothroyd's Swanston Street (c.1924) was perhaps her masterpiece. It was singled out for mention in the press on a number of occasions after being shown in her first one-woman exhibition in April 1924. This watercolour on silk was lauded as being ‘of special interest in a series of street scenes.’ More extended praise for this particular painting came from her home-town press: ‘Take the scene of Swanston Street,’ it enthused. ‘There is a masculine firmness in its treatment. The buildings stand out with great distinction, although there is a thick vapor of misty rain, giving many shades of grey which the artist treats quite magically.’”

“Boothroyd's stature in Australia's art world has, like Beckett's, suffered from neglect. But while Beckett has now risen to great fame and attracts immense prices, Boothroyd's work remains largely forgotten. Nevertheless, her misty watercolours clearly warrant favourable comparison to Beckett's work for being closer to them in sentiment and atmosphere than the work of any other artist of the time.” Source: Robert Holden, author & art historian.

.
Item #CL208-29

Price (AUD): $11,000.00  other currencies