Isobel, Iso Rae Paintings

Iso Rae was a notable Australian artist, born in 1860 in Melbourne. She emerged as a talented figure in the art world during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period that saw significant evolution in artistic styles and the emergence of Impressionism as a dominant movement. Rae's work was deeply influenced by the Impressionist movement, characterized by her use of light, color, and everyday scenes.

As a young woman, Rae moved to Europe, where she became part of the vibrant artistic community in Étaples, a small fishing village in northern France that attracted artists from around the world. This environment was crucial for her development as an artist, allowing her to immerse herself in the Impressionist style, which was revolutionizing the art world at the time.

Rae's paintings often focused on scenes of daily life in Étaples and the surrounding areas, capturing the essence of the place and its people with sensitivity and subtlety. Her work is distinguished by its luminous palette and the way she captured the effects of light on the landscape and figures, a hallmark of the Impressionist technique. Despite her talent and the quality of her work, Iso Rae, like many female artists of her era, did not receive the same level of recognition as her male counterparts during her lifetime.

After the outbreak of World War I, Rae's work also depicted the impact of the war on the local community and landscape, providing a unique female perspective on the conflict. She remained in France for most of her life, continuing to paint and exhibit her work in various venues, including the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français in Paris.

Iso Rae died in 1940, leaving behind a body of work that, while not as widely recognized as that of some of her contemporaries, offers valuable insight into the life and times of the period she lived in. Today, her paintings are held in several public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, and her contribution to the Impressionist movement, particularly as an Australian artist abroad, is increasingly being acknowledged and celebrated.