b'5859MARGUERITE MAHOOD (19011989) Marguerite Henriette Mahood (19011989), was born inexceptional pierced pottery lidded vase adorned July 1901 at Richmond, Melbourne. She was educated at with two winged dragons, titled GOTHIC, circa 1936, Mrs Stricklands School, Armadale, and Presbyterian Ladies lid and base signed Marguerite Mahood, Gothic No.1570, College, East Melbourne, before attending drawing classes 33cm high at the National Gallery school of drawing with Frederick Illustrated in AUSTRALIAN ART POTTERY 1900-1950, McCubbin. During the 1920s Mahood established herself by Fahy, Freeland, Free and Simpson [Casuarina Press, as a professional artist, producing drawings, watercolours, Syd. 2004], plate 295. linocuts and oil paintings. Her early work showed enduring influencesthe romantic aesthetic of the Pre-Raphaelite and Art Nouveau movements and a fascination with history and fantasy. In 1931 she enrolled in a new pottery course at the Working Mens College (now RMIT University). Finding the rudimentary training inadequate, she left to teach herself from technical books at the Public Library of Victoria.Over the following twenty-five years she produced highly decorated and vibrantly glazed earthenware ceramics, ranging from domestic ware to intricate figurines and exquisitely carved filigree ware. Inspired by Asian and Islamic ceramics, European commercial potteries such as Svres, Meissen and Wedgwood, and English art pottery of the late 19th century, Mahood was also drawn to Neo-Gothic motifs: playful dragons appeared repeatedly in her work.59 (Detail)'