Ethel Carrick (Fox) was born in England in 1872 and became well known for her vividly colored Post-Impressionist paintings, often depicting bustling European scenes like crowded streets, markets, cafes, and beaches. She met her husband, the celebrated Australian artist Emanuel Phillips Fox, in Cornwall during her early days as an art student. The couple spent much of their time traveling and painting across Australia, England, and Europe.
After E. Phillips Fox's death in 1915, just ten years after their marriage, Ethel Carrick continued her travels between Australia and Europe. She established an art school in Paris for Australian and American students and worked tirelessly to promote her late husband's art in Australia.Colonnades of Canberraโs Civic Centre, captures the recognizable Sydney and Melbourne Buildings in Canberra on a bright autumn day.
The yellow poplars and bicycles in the foreground are typical of the city, while her dappled brushwork conveys the cool breeze and vibrant colors of a sunny autumn day in the nationโs capital. The Sydney and Melbourne Buildings, constructed between 1927 and 1946, reflect the influence of the Italian Renaissance artist Brunelleschi and the Spanish Mission revivalist style. Carrick, having spent many years in Europe, often depicted similar colonnades in her work.