This exhibition tells the story of Christian Waller, celebrated Australian printmaker of the Art Deco era, and her niece, the pioneering ceramic artist, Klytie Pate. Christian Waller had a deep personal interest in spiritualism and the mystical philosophies of the modern theosophical movement. Her print work is characterised by a complex symbolism, combining ancient classical and literary subjects alongside occult motifs in a dynamic style owing much to the bold geometry of Art Deco and the handmade ethos of the Arts and Crafts movement. Christian Waller’s niece, Klytie Pate, came to live under her charge as a young teenager. With her aunt’s guidance, Pate mastered her chosen craft of ceramic art to become one of Australia’s foremost studio potters of the twentieth century.

Daughters of the Sun brings together works from Bendigo Art Gallery’s collection alongside the Klytie Pate Treasury at Beleura, Napier Waller House, the National Gallery of Victoria, the National Gallery of Australia and other lenders.