Flora Landells Australia, 1889-1981
Past Sales
Sales by Medium
Where to buy or sell art works by Flora Landells
Auction Houses
About Flora Landells
Flora Annie Margaret Landells (née Le Cornu) was born in 1888 in North Adelaide. In 1896, her family relocated to Guildford, Western Australia. Beginning in 1903, Flora Landells embarked on her artistic journey by enrolling at the Perth Technical School, where she studied under the guidance of J. W. R. Linton. Displaying exceptional talent, she excelled academically with top-tier results and earned scholarships. Joining the Western Australian Society of Arts in 1904, she maintained a steady presence in exhibitions until 1914. Notably, she clinched the open competition victory and the esteemed (Deborah) Hackett drawing prize in 1906. Her artistic contributions were highlighted in events such as the Australian Exhibition of Women’s Work in 1907 and the Franco-British Exhibition held in Wembley, London, in 1908. Flora Landells extended her artistic influence to the realm of education, teaching art at both Methodist Ladies’ College (1908-48) and Midland Junction Technical School (1909-30). Concurrently, she ventured into china painting, adorning her creations with lustres and incorporating intricate geometric motifs and stylized swirling designs. Together with her husband Reg Landells, Flora became a trailblazer in the field of pottery in Western Australia, establishing the Landells Studio Pottery around 1929. Her pottery creations were characterized by meticulously handcrafted forms and intricate carvings. Amidst the tumultuous backdrop of World War II, the pottery studio shifted its focus to address the scarcity of imported ceramics. They introduced a mass-market line that was retailed at Harris, Scarfe & Sandovers Ltd. In 1947, Flora Landells showcased her artistic prowess through solo exhibitions hosted at the (Sir) Claude Hotchin and Newspaper House art galleries. Post-war, her pottery evolved to encompass wheel-thrown forms adorned with captivating Chinese glazes, often drawing inspiration from the native flora of the region. Flora Landells died in 1981. Her work is represented in the Art Gallery of Western Australia.
The total number of works by Flora Landells offered for sale by auction since 1991 is 41, of which 35 (85%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $5,500 for Still Life with Geraniums sold by GFL Fine Art in May 1999. This year one work has been offered for sale. Works by Flora Landells are held by the Art Gallery of Western Australia, National Gallery of Australia and Art Gallery of South Australia.
Flora Landells is listed in the following standard biographical references:
- McCulloch, Alan McCulloch, Susan McCulloch, Emily McCulloch-Childs. The New McCulloch's Encyclopedia of Australian Art. 4th Edition, Aus Art Melbourne & The Miegunyah Press, 2006. Page 594
- Campbell, Jean. Australian Watercolour Painters: 1780 to the Present Day. Craftsman House, Sydney, 1989. Page 332
- Dictionary of Australian Artists Online, an online resource for biographical data about Australian artists, designers, craftspeople and curators.
- Australian Prints + Printmaking, a database listing printmaking artists from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region based on the print collection of the National Gallery of Australia.
Artists' Resale Royalty
Could the second and subsequent works by this artist sold after June 9, 2010 for over $1,000 be liable for the Artists' Resale Royalty? More info…
Yes, eligible, subject to the artist satisfying the residency test. The artist is alive or has been deceased for less than 70 years. Contact the Copyright Agency for information on the residency test.
The Australian Art Sales Digest is a database of over 610,000 works by more than 12,000 artists who are listed as having either lived or worked in Australia or New Zealand, and an additional 36,000 foreign and other artists, offered for sale by auction in Australia and New Zealand from the early 1970s to the present day.
Access to the database is available on either a monthly or annual subscription. During the subscription period you have unlimited access to the site. If you would like to subscribe, please proceed to our Subscription Form.