Artwork
Drawing of open barn with farm carts
Drawing of open barn with farm carts is a drawing by Phyllis E. Ginger. It dates from 1940 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This pencil drawing, circa 1940, depicts an open barn containing farm carts.
About this work
This is a pencil drawing of a barn with carts inside. It’s dated around 1940 and lives in London.
Phyllis Ginger made this while working on a project to record British buildings before the war could erase them. She had already sketched London landmarks for the same effort.
Look up the museum that keeps it safe: Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
This pencil drawing, circa 1940, depicts an open barn containing farm carts. Created by Phyllis Ginger (1907-2005), it is part of a broader effort to document British landscapes and buildings during World War II. The work is now held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing focuses on a rural scene, specifically an open barn with farm carts, highlighting Ginger's contribution to recording everyday British architecture and landscapes potentially vulnerable to wartime destruction.
Technique & Style
Executed in pencil, the drawing showcases Ginger's topographical skills, characterized by precise rendering of architectural details, a hallmark of her work for the 'Recording Britain' project.
History & Provenance
Dating to around 1940, this drawing was created during Ginger's involvement with the 'Recording Britain' project. Previously, she had documented urban landmarks like Chelsea Bridge. The piece is now preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Context
Commissioned as part of the 'Recording Britain' initiative (launched in 1939), this work reflects the project's goal of capturing British landscapes and buildings at risk of destruction during World War II. Ginger's earlier success, including a watercolour of Chelsea Bridge presented to the Canadian Prime Minister in 1937, preceded her contributions to this project.
Artist & collection
Artist
Phyllis E. Ginger painted watercolours of British streets and buildings in the 1940s. Her brush captured Council House in Bristol in 1942 and a Regency terrace lined with tall trees. She also drew barns and farm carts…
