Clarice Beckett’s paintings of the 1920s-30s were deeply challenging images for many critics in their time. They still remain inspirational for artists and collectors, who respond to their unique lyricism, deceptive simplicity, exquisite tonal nuances and formal structure. Beckett’s work is characterised by a strong sense of place, a brilliant evocation of atmospheric space and often a distinct psychological tension. The Motorcylist exemplifies Beckett’s mastery at endowing a seemingly mundane subject, such as a stretch of road, with her own personal alchemy, bringing forth a pictorial poem, evocative of some eternal, always elusive truth. This present work is compositionally similar to Morning Shadows c. 1932 (Art Gallery of South Australia) and is likely to date from a similar period in the artist’s career.

In 1980, Ruth Prowse held a very successful exhibition of Beckett’s work at her Gallery Huntly in Canberra. She became enamoured with the artist’s work and subsequently purchased a large number of Beckett’s paintings for her own personal collection.