1920s Original Margaret Preston woodblock print, “Cockatoos”, antique framed art

Margaret Preston, Cockatoos (Key-block), c.1923, genuine original woodcut impression printed directly from the artist’s carved woodblock and issued in Art in Australia, initialled “P” in the block; framed in solid wold with custom triple mount behind glass. A delightful miniature composition of three black cockatoos, combining bold silhouettes, rhythmic line and intimate scale in the striking graphic language that made Preston one of Australia’s most important modernist printmakers.

Reference: Roger Butler, Margaret Preston: A Catalogue Raisonné, catalogue no. 22. 

27cm x 27cm frame

7.4cm x 7cm artwork

Artist biography: One of Australia’s most significant artists, Margaret Preston was a key figure in the development of Australian modernism from the 1920s to the 1950s. Renowned particularly for her woodcuts, paintings of native flora and depictions of the Australian landscape and birdlife, Preston sought to develop a distinctly Australian visual language and became an influential writer and public advocate for modern art and design. Her bold, decorative woodblock prints of the 1920s remain among her best-known works, informed by Japanese printmaking and an increasing engagement with Australian subjects. Her work is represented in major Australian public collections including the National Gallery of Australia and National Gallery of Victoria.