JULIA RITSON

Coming right at you – Margaret Preston

A picture that is meant to fill a certain space should decorate that space.

The Nabis group, including Bonnard and Vuillard, said all art is essentially decorative. Preston was still in Europe and was visiting all sorts of museums.

More white. More geometric table-cloths. Plus, for a change, a lot of black.

Tightly controlled domestic contrivances.

| Margaret Preston, Still life, 1915 |

A black tray teeters on the edge of the checkered table-cloth with a strong band of black in the background pushing the painting to the front. Flatness + decoration.

Meanwhile there was a big fat war going on.

Julia Ritson

2 responses to “Coming right at you – Margaret Preston”

  1. Mackenzie Avatar
    Mackenzie

    Hi can I please find out the dimensions of this painting – A black tray teeters on the edge, by Margaret Preston as I need this for a school assessment task.

    I have looked on the web everywhere and I can’t find the dimensions

    Regards
    Mackenzie

    Reply
    1. Julia Ritson Avatar
      Julia Ritson

      Hi there…

      It’s oil on cardboard 45.5 x 55cm.

      The image comes from the Margaret Preston catalogue of the 2005 Art Gallery of NSW exhibition.

      Julia

      Reply

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