The Sock Knitter

from the sources

• The Sock Knitter is a 1915 painting by Grace Cossington Smith that depicts a woman, believed to be the artist's sister, knitting a sock. en.wikipedia.org

  “The painting depicts a woman, believed to be the artist's sister, knitting a sock.”

• The Art Gallery of NSW identifies the sitter as the artist's sister Madge, who is shown knitting socks for soldiers at the front in World War I. artgallery.nsw.gov.au

  “The subject of the painting is Madge, the artist's sister, knitting socks for soldiers serving on the frontline in World War I.”

• The painting was the first work by Cossington Smith to be exhibited. en.wikipedia.org

  “It was the first work by Cossington Smith to be exhibited and has been "acclaimed as the first post-impressionist painting to be exhibited in Australia."”

• The painting was included in the Follow the Flag exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria in 2015. en.wikipedia.org

  “The work was included in the Follow the Flag exhibition held at the National Gallery of Victoria in 2015.”

• The Art Gallery of New South Wales acquired the painting in 1960. en.wikipedia.org

  “The painting was acquired by the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 1960.”

• The painting is described as having an extremely flattened picture plane and bright, broken colour applied in broad brushstrokes, reflecting the concerns of European painters such as Cézanne, Matisse and van Gogh. artgallery.nsw.gov.au

  “The extreme flattening of the picture plane and the use of bright, expressive, broken colour applied in broad brush-strokes to delineate form reflects the aesthetic concerns of European painters such as Cézanne, Matisse and van Gogh.”

• Exhibition material for Follow the Flag said the painting has come to symbolise Australian women's contribution to the First World War effort. en.wikipedia.org

  “Exhibition material stated that The Sock Knitter "has come to symbolise Australian women’s contribution to the [First World War] effort, which included knitting more than 1.3 million pairs of socks".”