Oil paint on wood
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/augustus-john-om-1362" aria-label="More by Augustus John OM" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Augustus John OM</a>
Washing Day
Purchased with assistance from Sir James Murray 1923
actions: postures and motions
adults
architecture
bowl
clothing and personal items
domestic
domestic
Dorset
England
England, South West
England, Southern
ethnicity
garden
garden structures
gypsy
headscarf
individuals: female
laundering
laundry
looking down
McNeill, Dorothy, ‘Dorelia’
named individuals
objects
people
places
Poole, Alderney Manor
portraits
standing
trunk
UK cities, towns and villages
UK counties
UK countries and regions
vessels and containers
washing line
woman
work and occupations
<p>In 1910, John began to produce small oil sketches. These brightly coloured depictions of figures and landscapes were painted directly onto wooden panels. They were intended as studies for larger paintings but were commercially very successful. Here, John uses this same approach for a domestic subject. The model is Dorelia McNeill, John’s partner, who features in many of his works. She was known for her distinctive style which was influenced by Romani culture. McNeill is shown here wearing brightly coloured clothes she designed and made herself.</p><p><em>Gallery label, July 2021</em></p>
painting oil paint wood
1 May 2018 – 30 September 2019
2019-09-30
1 May 2018 – 30 September 2018
2018-09-30
2018-05-01
Poole Museum (Poole, UK)
1 May 2019 – 30 September 2019
2019-09-30
2019-05-01
The Salisbury Museum (Salisbury, UK)
http://www.salisburymuseum.org.uk
2018-05-01
Augustus John
Loan-out
Washing Day
support: 406 × 302 mm
frame: 538 × 438 × 90 mm
Purchased with assistance from Sir James Murray 1923
<div class="text">
<p>In 1910, John began to produce small oil sketches. These brightly coloured depictions of figures and landscapes were painted directly onto wooden panels. They were intended as studies for larger paintings but were commercially very successful. Here, John uses this same approach for a domestic subject. The model is Dorelia McNeill, John’s partner, who features in many of his works. She was known for her distinctive style which was influenced by Romani culture. McNeill is shown here wearing brightly coloured clothes she designed and made herself.</p>
</div>

Display caption
2021-07-23T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N03730</b> WASHING DAY <i>c.</i> 1912
<br/> 	
<br/>Not inscribed.
<br/>Oil on wood, 16×11 7/8 (40·5×30).
<br/>Purchased from the Independent Gallery (Grant-in-Aid) with the aid of a subscription from Sir James Murray 1923.
<br/><i>Coll:</i>John Quinn, New York.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> Chenil Gallery, February 1916 (13); <i>Private Collection of the Earlier Work of Augustus John</i>, Independent Gallery, January–February 1923 (39).
<br/><i>Lit:</i>
Mary Chamot, <i>Modern Painting in England</i>, 1937, p.57.
<br/><i>Repr:</i>
Marriott, n.d., pl.8 (in colour); <i>Tate Gallery Illustrations</i>, 1928, pl.99.</p>
<p>The Misses Nettleship consider that this picture of Dorelia washing clothes was most likely painted in the garden of Alderney Manor, Dorset, a house into which John and his family moved in 1909.</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, I
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-07-20T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: postures and motions adults architecture bowl clothing and personal items domestic domestic Dorset England England, Southern England, South West ethnicity garden garden structures gypsy headscarf individuals: female laundering laundry looking down McNeill, Dorothy, ‘Dorelia’ named individuals objects people places Poole, Alderney Manor portraits standing trunk UK cities, towns and villages UK counties UK countries and regions vessels and containers washing line woman work and occupations