Interior of a studio
Painting
1850-1859 (made)
1850-1859 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Before the introduction of compulsory schooling and the modern curriculum, there was a considerable emphasis on the importance of girls acquiring the skills to help them keep house as adults: needlework, cookery, and some basic arithmetic, reading and writing. Those who came from the better-off families also learned ‘accomplishments’ such as music, dancing, languages and art (particularly sketching and watercolour painting). The girls in this painting are probably either pupils of the artist or members of his family. The girl at the easel is sketching a copy of an existing work of art, a classical statue, a process though to teach students both good technique and a sense of proportions.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Interior of a studio (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Watercolour |
Brief description | Watercolour of two girls in an artist's studio painted in France by Isidore Patrois in the 1850s |
Physical description | The painting is of landscape proportions, and shows two girls in an artist's studio. One, the elder, is seated at an easel drawing a classical statue to her right; she is wearing a black tunic jacket over a white blouse, a short grey skirt with two rows of black braid above the hem, and white stockings with brown square-toed boots. The younger girl is standing behind her, by a row of jars of pigment on a mantelshelf, and has turned to look over her shoulder at the drawing; she wears a light brown tunic jacket over a white blouse, a short pale pink skirt beneath which her frilled drawers extend, and white ankle socks with brown square-toed boots. |
Dimensions |
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Credit line | Dixon Bequest |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Before the introduction of compulsory schooling and the modern curriculum, there was a considerable emphasis on the importance of girls acquiring the skills to help them keep house as adults: needlework, cookery, and some basic arithmetic, reading and writing. Those who came from the better-off families also learned ‘accomplishments’ such as music, dancing, languages and art (particularly sketching and watercolour painting). The girls in this painting are probably either pupils of the artist or members of his family. The girl at the easel is sketching a copy of an existing work of art, a classical statue, a process though to teach students both good technique and a sense of proportions. |
Collection | |
Accession number | 1254-1886 |
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Record created | February 20, 2004 |
Record URL |
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