Self Portrait

Most likely painted in the 1930s or 40s, this small self-portrait focuses on the artist’s face, her expression serious as she gazes out to the viewer. Details are delicately rendered to create a sense of intimacy and self-reflection. Though the work is unsigned and we have been unable to identify the artist, the skill of this women artist shines through.

The 1930s and 40s marked a watershed moment for women artists in Britain. During the war women had gained government commissions, working as official war artists, travelling to places and depicting subject matter that had previously been closed off to them. However, following the war, there was a strong societal pushback against these newfound freedoms, back towards domesticity. Women were expected to sacrifice professional careers for family life. The anonymity of this portrait may reflect this expectation, perhaps with the artist only painting in private for personal pleasure after abandoning ambitions for a commercial career.