Born in Deniliquin, New South Wales, Aileen Dent was an esteemed Australian artist of the twentieth century. She remains the most frequently exhibited woman in the Archibald Prize, with 63 works hung between 1921 and 1962. Among her subjects were prime minister Joseph Lyons (who she painted from her studio on Melbourne’s Little Collins Street), aviator Jeans Burns and Dame Elizabeth Couchman, now held in the National Portrait Gallery.

As well as portraits, Dent painted exquisite florals and landscapes. In the atmospheric ‘Return Home’, she presents a vignette from the Australian bush. Two figures walk along a sloping road surrounded by pale grasslands and eucalyptus trees, the blue sky mottled with clouds. In subject, composition and title, Dent suggests an emotional undertone – the mingled feelings of melancholy and relief that returning home can conjure.

Dent’s work can be found across public institutions, including at Charles Sturt University, the National Gallery of Victoria and Geelong Gallery. Marked by both talent and grace, Dent’s work is a vital addition to collections of Australian modernist art, as well as all those invested in the underexamined history of women artists.

Aileen DENT (1890 - 1979)
'Return Home'
oil on canvas
Image Size: 39 x 32 cm
Dimensions: 44 x 51 x 4 cm
Signed: Signed lower right
 
Comes with Letter of Provenance
 
The condition of this work is recorded at Good. There are no tears or abrasions to the canvas or painted surface, but in reflection of its age, the work may benefit from a professional clean and reframing. While not always essential, conservation preserve, enhance and promote a work of art's longevity. 

If you would like to explore conservation treatment, please reach out for a complimentary quote.
 
(c) The Artist or Assignee