Paper

Student Artwork Guide

Roses

Bessie Davidson

Name Class Date
Bessie Davidson, Roses. Reproduced for reference; rights reserved by the rights holder. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Bessie Davidson topimpressionists.com/en/artists/bessie-davidson/
Artist’s dates
1879 – 1965
Original size
37 x 33 cm

Copyright This work is still under copyright. Bessie Davidson died in 1965; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it remains in force until 2035. The image is shown here for classroom reference; rights remain with the rights holder.

Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 27, 2026

Roses — Bessie Davidson Part 1 · The artwork

In context

Roses — Bessie Davidson

How big is it?

The original measures 37 × 33 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.

When might this have been painted?

  1. 1870
  2. 1880
  3. 1890
  4. 1900
  5. 1910
  6. 1920
  7. 1930
  8. 1940
  9. 1950
  10. 1960

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 86 at death.

Shaded: the lifetime of Bessie Davidson (1879–1965) every dated painting, decade by decade

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

  • Interior topimpressionists.com/en/art/bessie-davidson-interior-ARD88D-en/
  • Sweet Peas, 1923 topimpressionists.com/en/art/bessie-davidson-sweet-peas-ARD88B-en/
  • Interior topimpressionists.com/en/art/bessie-davidson-interior-ARD88H-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/bessie-davidson-roses-ARD88F-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Gray #788189

    Catalogued palette

    • #788189
    • #1E2729
    • #484942
    • #63676A

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Main colour name
    Gray
    Intensity
    Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Gentle How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Discordant Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Muted How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Bessie Davidson over the last twelve months — 1 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 100.0%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 2 most looked-at works by Bessie Davidson

    1. 1 Interior 100.0%
    2. — Roses this painting 0.0%

    Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 4 works by this artist, of which 1 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 27, 2026

    Roses — Bessie Davidson Part 2 · In context

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Bessie Davidson

    Born in Adelaide, Australia

    Early Life and Education

    Born: Bessie Ellen Davidson, May 22, 1879, in North Adelaide, South Australia

    Family Background: Daughter of David Davidson (mining industry) and Ellen Johnson Davidson. Descendant of sculptor William Gowan and painter Frances Gowan.

    Education: Advanced School for Girls (with a strong drawing strand).

    Early Training: Studied art with Rose McPherson (Margaret Preston) from 1899.

    Early Exhibitions: Began exhibiting with the South Australian Society of Arts in 1901.

    European Studies and Artistic Development

    Travel to Europe: Traveled to Europe with Margaret Preston in 1904 after her mother's death.

    Studies in Munich & Paris: Studied at the Künstlerinner Verein, Munich, then Académie de la Grande Chaumière, Paris (under René-Xavier Prinet). Also studied with Raphael Collin, Richard Miller, and Gustave Courtois.

    Artistic Influences: Admired Vincent van Gogh, Pierre Bonnard, Edouard Vuillard, and Paul Cézanne.

    Salon Exhibitions: Exhibited at the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français (1906) and the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts (1906).

    Membership & Recognition: First Australian woman elected a member of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts (1922); Founding member of the Salon des Tuileries.

    Career and Artistic Style

    Return to Australia & Continued Work: Returned to Adelaide in 1907, rented a studio with Preston, and continued painting and exhibiting.

    Evolution of Style: Early works influenced by Rose McPherson; embraced Impressionism and Post-Impressionism after relocating to Paris.

    Characteristic Themes: Focused on intimate domestic interiors, portraits of women, floral arrangements, and landscapes.

    Color Palette & Technique: Known as a bold colorist with confident and spare paint application.

    Travels & Subjects: Traveled extensively through Europe, Russia, and Morocco, painting en plein air and using sketches for later studio works.

    Major Achievements and Historical Significance

    French Legion of Honor: Appointed Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in 1931 – the first Australian woman to receive this honor.

    Founding Roles: Founding Vice-President of La Société Femmes Artistes Modernes (1930).

    Exhibitions: Exhibited widely in Paris, Australia, England, Scotland, and the United States.

    Recognition by Critics: Frequently praised in French exhibition reviews for her spontanéité, sensibilité, richesse, harmonie and luminosité.

    Legacy: Bessie Davidson is recognized as a pioneering Australian artist who achieved significant success and recognition within the vibrant Parisian art scene of the early 20th century. Her work demonstrates a skillful blend of Impressionistic techniques with a distinctive personal style.

    Later Life and Death

    World War I Service: Served as a nurse with the French Red Cross during World War I.

    Continued Artistic Activity: Continued to paint and exhibit throughout her life, even during World War II when she lived in Grenoble.

    Return to Paris: Returned to her studio in Montparnasse after WWII.

    Death: Died on February 22, 1965, at Montparnasse, France.

    Where to read more

    • The artist Bessie Davidson topimpressionists.com/en/artists/bessie-davidson/
    • Similar works More works to compare topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/bessie-davidson-roses-ARD88F-en/

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Roses

    topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/bessie-davidson-roses-ARD88F-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Davidson, Bessie. Roses. n.d., https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/bessie-davidson-roses-ARD88F-en/
    APA
    Davidson, Bessie (n.d.). Roses [Painting]. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/bessie-davidson-roses-ARD88F-en/
    Chicago
    Bessie Davidson. Roses. n.d. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/bessie-davidson-roses-ARD88F-en/
    Harvard
    Davidson, Bessie (n.d.) Roses. Available at: https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/bessie-davidson-roses-ARD88F-en/

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 27, 2026

    Roses — Bessie Davidson Part 3 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    Roses — Bessie Davidson

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Look back at Interior, earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    4. What might the artist have wanted you to feel?
    5. If you could ask the artist one question about this work, what would it be?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: TopImpressionists.com — accessed Sept. 27, 2026

    Roses — Bessie Davidson Part 4 · Look closely

    Questions & Answers

    How is the color composition of "Roses" by Bessie Davidson built?

    The color composition of "Roses" by Bessie Davidson combines a gentle contrast with a discordant palette harmony.

    Who is the artist behind "Roses"?

    "Roses" is attributed to Bessie Davidson.

    What saturation and intensity does "Roses" by Bessie Davidson show?

    The color of "Roses" is muted in saturation and monochromatic in intensity.