Elvic Steele (British, 1920-1997) oil painting on masonite. Signed on verso. There is a gallery label from Louise Kosman gallery also on verso. Measures 28” x 24” in frame. Both frame and painting in excellent condition.
In 1946 Steele was awarded a sabbatical to study under Sir Cedric Morris at the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing at Benton End. It was in Morris' beloved garden at Benton End that she found inspiration for many of her works. She continued studying and painting there until the 1970s. Steele became both a biologist and a botanist as she continued to study art. Her intimate knowledge and love of the natural world is evident in her work. The blue glass vessel depicted in this piece is the same vase Cedric Morris made the center of his own 1959 painting titled Winter Flowers (shown side-by-side in last picture).
