Description
Unfortunately, there are no inscriptions however, the painting does show great confidence and skill, not only in execution but also in perspective and composition. We believe this work can be compared favourably with other artists of the time, such as Evelyn Dunbar and Carel Weight.
During a strong gale, one of the three women depicted in the picture is washing her linen, crouching amongst a row of brussells over a zinc tub. To her right, a woman in a pink spotted dress is attempting to hang out the washing in the strong wind, while the third is looking on into the sky in expectation of rain. The fashion for striped and spotted dresses was common in the 50s. The lady wearing the pink dress is wearing stockings with a more visible black seam, also popular in the 50s.
In the background on the roofs of the terraced houses are a number of TV aerials in the shape of an H. By 1952 these odd aerials would be connected to extremely large and heavy television sets that were the first in wireless signal transmission. On June 2, 1953, The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was televised in the UK. Sales of TV sets rose sharply in the weeks leading up to the event. It may be that the picture was painted around this time or possibly a little later in the decade.
