Mid Century Oil Painting of Antirrhinums in Pink and Yellow by Ethel Parker

A mid century oil on canvas of pink and yellow antirrhinums on a sage green ground, signed Ethel Parker. Crimson, raspberry, shell pink and lemon yellow antirrhinums rise from a soft sage green ground in this painting, signed lower left. On the back, her name is handwritten on a paper label along with the title, Antirrhinum, and the single word Oil, exactly as she would have labelled it for an exhibition or a local art society show.

Height: 52cm (20.5in)
Width: 41cm (16.1in)
Measured including the frame

The name comes from the Greek for "like a snout", and anyone who grew up with a cottage garden will know the antirrhinum as the snapdragon, and remember squeezing the flowers to make the little dragon mouths open and shut. Ethel has painted them loosely and lovingly, with the weave of the canvas showing through the paint and pale leaves drifting up into the background like a breath of mist. Up close the colours glow; from across the room the whole thing has a soft, almost dreamy quality that feels very of its time.

The canvas is stretched on its original wooden frame with corner wedges and set in a period moulding with an oatmeal linen texture, off white painted edges and a narrow inner slip, a style that was hugely popular in British homes through the 1950s and 60s. Measuring 52 x 41 cm including the frame, it comes with its original cord and is ready to hang. The painted edges of the frame show a few small marks from decades of being loved, which we think suits it perfectly.

Those pale greens and pinks make it a natural fit for a bedroom, a guest room or a light filled hallway. Lean it on a chest of drawers beside a clear glass bottle of dried grasses, or hang it in a cluster with other small florals and botanical prints for a relaxed, collected look. It sits beautifully against duck egg, soft white or blush pink walls, and would make a thoughtful gift for a keen gardener.