Staff at the Baptist Church Op Shop in Vincentia, on the South Coast, were going through an anonymous donation when they discovered two timeless pieces of art.

Someone recognised the artists signature, Marian Ellis Rowan, and, after some Googling, they realised they had found national treasures.

National Library of Australia acquisitions pictures branch, Mike Proud and pictures acquisition team leader, Roxi Ruuska hold two recently donated paintings by Marian Ellis Rowan which were found in an op shop.

Photo: Elesa Kurtz

The small watercolour paintings, Flowers on the banks of the lake and Ducks in the lake, are almost 110 years old.

Op shop staff contacted the National Library of Australia and acquisitions librarian from the picture branch Michael Proud travelled to Vincentia to see the paintings and brought them back to add to the library's collection.

The library houses the largest Ellis Rowan collection in the world with 900 pieces, almost a third of her works.

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“It was really a very special moment … Her work is really treasured by people,” he said.

“Its wonderful to have these two additions. Initially we had to ask some questions … we were very surprised."

The paintings are worth between $500-$1000 each, but their importance to the library was greater, Proud said.

“Their real value is to research about Ellis Rowans work, life and career and how they fit in with her work as well. Its not really the commercial value, its the documentary value.”

“These two works are so interesting in that they are quite unlike the one's we have here, most of which are the large botanical depictions.

“These are very much charming landscape views, intended for a domestic market."

Ellis Rowan showcased her works across Australia, Europe and the United States.

“She was hugely prolific," Proud said.

"She was very much a trailblazer for Australian artists, particularly Australian female artists because she forged her own path."

As a young woman, Rowan began to paint wildflowers, birds, insects and butterflies and she continued to do so for the rest of her life. Her interest in botany was encouraged by Ferdinand von Mueller, who was a friend of her father.

In 1921 the Australian government agreed to purchase the paintings of Rowan, but criticism in parliament and disagreements about the price caused delays. In 1923 the government finally purchased 952 paintings from Rowans sister, Blanche Ryan.

The collection was stored in the Treasury vaults in Melbourne until 1933, when 947 of the paintings were transferred to the Commonwealth National Library, now the National Library of Australia. The other five were placed in Government House.

In 1953 many of the paintings were lent by the library to Australian diplomatic posts and other government agencies. Most were returned to the library in 1968-70, but 28 were lost.

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