A Tale of Mischief by Brownie Downing

A story of the Australian outback and a naughty koala bear called Bosie.

For generations of children and adults in Australia and overseas, Brownie Downing brought out the magic of childhood, the Australian bush and its native inhabitants in an art career spanning several decades. Through her sketches, watercolours, porcelain items and, later, illustrated children’s books, she earned a distinct place in Australia’s art world. Downing’s achievement is intriguing – her most successful subject, Aboriginal Australia, was one she did not really know first-hand; only in an idealised form. Her success lay in an ability to capture the simple, naive beauty and innocence of children and wildlife in a way that transcended any one culture. That quality, developed early on in a corner of Sydney’s northern suburbs, never left her, staying with her in the second half of her life living entirely overseas.

A hardcover edition with illustrated boards. There is foxing and toning throughout but the text and colour illustrations are clear and legible. There is some delamination and wear and rubbing to the edges of the book. There is some wear and rubbing to the spine of the book. Now in a clear, removable cover to protect from damage.

This is a good reading copy.