Florence Fuller
The sun sets slowly, casting a warm, golden glow over the grasses and wildflowers, illuminating the pale trunks of the white gums. A couple walks side by side through the wildflowers, descending into the valley. Above the low-lying hills, the sky is tinged with soft pink hues, and we can almost hear the birds chirping in the towering white gum trees, possibly wandoos.
This is A Golden Hour by Florence Fuller, a painting that captures the enchanting light of twilight. The scene is set in the Darling Ranges of Western Australia, featuring John Winthrop Hackett—businessman, philanthropist, and owner of The West Australian newspaper—and his young wife, Deborah Vernon Hackett (née Drake-Brockman). Despite family opposition, she married Hackett in 1905 at the age of 18.
Fuller was one of Western Australia’s most significant artists during the Federation period. Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, she moved to Victoria as a child and studied at the National Gallery School in Melbourne. She later refined her skills at the Académie Julian in Paris, exhibiting at both the Paris Salon and the Royal Academy. In 1904, she relocated to Perth for four years before spending a final period in England. Eventually, she settled in Mosman, New South Wales, where she lived until her passing in 1946.
P.S. The golden hour is a brief and awe-inspiring moment filled with the most radiant light, intense colors, and deep shadows. Here are some of our favorite golden hour paintings!