Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Contemporary Art Society
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/henry-tonks-2055" aria-label="More by Henry Tonks" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Henry Tonks</a>
A Girl with a Parrot
Presented by W.C. Alexander through the Contemporary Art Society 1917
actions: postures and motions
actions: processes and functions
animals: birds
arm / arms raised
children
domestic
dressing / undressing
flower
furnishings
girl
interior - non-specific
interiors
mirror
objects
parrot
people
plants and flowers
<p>The artist makes us feel like an intruder in this painting as we witness the private world of a young girl. Dressed in a nightgown and gently brushing her long hair, she sits before a full length mirror studying her reflection. A parrot watches the mechanical repetition of her brush strokes.</p><p>The small size of the painting draws our attention to the intimacy of the scene that Tonks has captured, a moment in the girl’s childhood which adult viewers may regard with sadness or even envy.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
19 April 2004 – 11 June 2006
2006-06-11
19 April 2004 – 11 June 2006
2006-06-11
2004-04-19
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2004-04-19
Cult of Youth
Collection based display
26 January 2007 – 29 April 2007
2007-04-29
26 January 2007 – 29 April 2007
2007-04-29
2007-01-26
Barber Institute of Fine Arts (Birmingham, UK)
http://www.barber.org.uk
2007-01-26
Parrots in Art
Loan-out
A Girl with a Parrot
support: 457 × 311 mm
frame: 547 × 394 × 57 mm
Presented by W.C. Alexander through the <a href="/search?gid=999999975" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Contemporary Art Society</a> 1917
<div class="pbodytext">
<span class="text0">The artist makes us feel like an intruder  in this      <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> as we witness the private world of a young girl. Dressed in a      nightgown and gently brushing her long hair, she sits before a full length      mirror </span><span class="text14">studying her reflection. A parrot</span><span class="text0">  watches the mechanical repetition of  her brush      strokes.  </span>
</div>
<div class="para9">
<span class="text0">
<br/> </span>
</div>
<div class="pbodytext">
<span class="text0">The small size of the painting draws our attention to      the intimacy of the scene that Tonks has captured, a moment in the      girl’s </span><span class="text15">childhood which adult viewers may      regard</span><span class="text0"> with sadness or even envy. </span>
</div>

Display caption
2004-09-10T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N03186</b> A GIRL WITH A PARROT <i>c</i>. 1895
<br/>
<br/>Not inscribed.
<br/>Canvas, 18×12 1/4 (45·75×31).
<br/>Presented by W. C. Alexander through the Contemporary Art Society 1917.
<br/><i>Coll:</i> Purchased from the artist by Charles Conder, d. 1909; (?) Mrs Conder; Cecil Lawson, from whom purchased September 1912 by Charles Aitken from a fund provided by W. C. Alexander with a view to its being accepted by the Trustees of the Tate Gallery; refused by the Tate November 1912; presented to the C.A.S. for eventual presentation to the Tate early in 1913.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> C.A.S., <i>First Public Exhibition in London</i>, Goupil Gallery, April 1913 (28); Tate Gallery, October–November 1936 (24).
<br/><i>Lit:</i> Hone, 1939, p.50.
<br/><i>Repr:</i> <i>Studio</i>, XLIX, 1910, p.10.</p>
<p>Hone describes this, with works of 1893–5, as ‘Another work that came early ... an example of perfect handling of oils, fluent and yet modest in effect, which moved Charles Conder to great admiration’.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-07-16T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: postures and motions actions: processes and functions animals: birds arm / arms raised children domestic dressing / undressing flower furnishings girl interior - non-specific interiors mirror objects parrot people plants and flowers