Work of the Week 41: The Bull by Michael Rothenstein
linocut, 1956 ‘This image was based on a memory of a bull being driven down the High Street at Great Bardfield. The street is so simplified here that it is unrecognisable. There used to be a cottage with three dormer windows… I used sand and gravel...
Work of the Week 40: Portrait of Kitty Wilson by Duffy Ayers
oil, 1945 Kitty Wilson was a remarkable woman. Born in Deal, she worked for Dr Barnado’s in Essex for several years, caring for young disabled girls. In 1929 she travelled to Kalimpong in India to look after deprived children, returning to Essex after a few...
Work of the Week 39: Talos by Michael Ayrton
bronze, 1963 Talos was a giant figure who guarded the island of Crete by throwing stones at the ships of any unwelcome interloper. Ayrton wrote of the character of Talos: ‘a certain tranquillity lies in his stupid presence, a certain comfort. He has no brains and no...
Work of the Week 38: Cat & Windmill by Sheila Robinson
linocut, undated Here is a model Great Bardfield lithograph by Robinson. A domestic interior is linked to a rural scene by the gaze of a cat. Sentimentality is held at bay by the economy of means and the stringent design. It reminds me of Matisse’s The Blue...