Artwork
Town Centre
Town Centre is a print by Phyllis Ginger. It dates from 1946 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
The print is called Town Centre.
It was made by Phyllis Ginger in 1946.
The Victoria and Albert Museum holds this print, which shows a cityscape, and Phyllis Ginger also worked on the 'Recording Britain' project, painting watercolour landscapes of British scenes that might be lost due to bombing.
You can learn more about the artist at the museum: Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Town Centre is a 1946 print by Phyllis Ginger, created as part of the School Prints scheme. The scheme aimed to make contemporary art accessible to school children by commissioning lithographs from notable artists, which were then printed in large quantities and sold at an affordable price.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a cityscape, specifically Bristol's town centre, capturing a scene of everyday urban life. Ginger's work often featured lively sketches of people in daily life, and this print is characteristic of her style.
Technique & Style
Town Centre is a lithograph, a technique that allowed for mass production while maintaining the artist's original drawn image. The print has a drawn frame, a characteristic of the School Prints scheme, allowing it to be easily displayed in classrooms.
History & Provenance
Phyllis Ginger created Town Centre in 1946. The print is now held in the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection. Ginger was also involved in the 'Recording Britain' project, painting watercolour landscapes of British scenes.
Context
The School Prints scheme, initiated by Brenda Rawnsley in 1945, was a post-war initiative that ended in 1949 due to financial difficulties. It reflected the optimism of the time, aiming to bring original art to school children during a period of austerity.
Artist & collection
Artist
Phyllis Ginger made watercolors and prints of everyday British streets and buildings during the 1940s.
Epping High Street
London Street
Smith Square, Westminster
Lyall Street, Eaton Square
Picadilly Circus
Covent Garden Opera House; The Colonnade
High Street and Rutland Arms, Newmarket
The Market, Tetbury
Munster Square, off Euston Road, N.W.1.
Gloucester Street, Pimlico
A View of O'Connell Street, Dublin
Untitled