BROADHURST, FLORENCE (1899-1977)

"Untitled" (c.1965)
oil on board
60 x 90cm
signed lower right
*private collection, Sydney
 
Broadhurst is an iconic Australian Artist, Fashion Designer, and Wallpaper Designer. Through her wallpapers she became an international design icon. She was tragically murdered in 1977, a case which remains unsolved. She lived an eclectic life, starting as a singer, dancing teacher, journalist and performer in Shanghai. From 1929 she owned a fashion boutique in Mayfair, London under the moniker of Madame Pellier. She moved back to Australia in the 1950s, and decided to become a painter. She also made a splash on the society pages, frequenting popular events under the false guise of an Englishwoman. Broadhurst’s lie was believed by the guillible press, who were charmed by this exotic, charismatic woman. 
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In the early 1950s, having infiltrated modern artist circles, and driven by her need to produce her own vision of Australia, she drove around northern and central Australia, producing some 114 paintings in two years. She held solo exhibitions of her 'Paintings of Australia' in 1954 at David Jones's art gallery, Sydney, as well as solo and group shows at galleries in Brisbane and Canberra. 
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Florence became a foundation member of the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales and a member of the Society of Interior Designers of Australia. In 1959, following a chance meeting with a tenant at one of her properties, Broadhurst established her greatest artistic legacy. She established Australian (Hand Printed) Wallpapers Pty Ltd, which specialised in unique high quality, Australian-made and themed wallpaper. It was a revelation, and with Broadhurst’s keen eye for graphic design and strong work ethic, Broadhurst single-handedly ushered in a new era in interior design, based solely on her luxurious, hand-crafted wallpaper.