A washerman and his wife
1790
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1790
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
A washerman and his wife is a 1790 paint by Unknown, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows two people carrying giant sacks on their shoulders. The man on the left is bare-chested, wearing a pink headwrap and loose white pants, holding his sack with both hands. The woman on the right balances her sack on her head, wears a blue skirt with red trim, and holds a long stick. The background is a plain yellow with a dark blue ground beneath them. The title written on the painting calls them a "washerman and his wife," hinting at their daily work. Their clothes and poses look simple but strong, focusing on hard labor. If you like this style, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum for more paintings like this.
The painting depicts a washerman and his wife, one of sixteen works illustrating castes and occupations, each set against a plain background without clouds. The man carries a large bundle, while the woman holds two bundles and two sticks, positioned against a dull yellow backdrop. Part of a series with drawings by two different artists, this work was transferred from the India Museum in 1879. It was recorded in the 1880 register as one of four framed sets of colored illustrations of costumes, presented by P. F. Campbell-Johnston.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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