Who painted Fairground?

Fairground was painted by Barbara Jones in 1946.

Where can I see Fairground?

Fairground is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

Artwork

Fairground

Barbara Jones , 1946

Fairground is a print by Barbara Jones. It dates from 1946 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

This print shows a happy fairground scene. It was made in 1946 by Barbara Jones. She used a lithograph to print bright colors in bulk.

Schools bought these prints cheaply to share art with kids after the war. The program lasted just a few years but gave many children their first real art.

Look up Recording Britain for more work by Jones, Barbara.

Overview

Fairground is a 1946 lithograph by Barbara Jones, created for the School Prints initiative, a post-war program aimed at making art accessible to children.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a vibrant fairground scene, featuring a merry-go-round, embodying a sense of joy and community, contrasting with Jones's more somber works from the Recording Britain scheme.

Technique & Style

Jones employed lithography to produce the print, allowing for the mass production of the image in bright, vivid colors.

History & Provenance

Fairground was part of the first series of School Prints, established by Brenda Rawnsley in 1945, which commissioned artists to create works that could be widely distributed to schools at a low cost.

Context

The School Prints initiative operated from 1945 to 1949, providing children with access to original art during a period of post-war austerity.

Artist & collection

Artist

Barbara Jones

Barbara Mildred Jones (25 December 1912 – 28 August 1978) was an English artist, writer and mural painter. She is known for curating the exhibition Black Eyes and Lemonade (1951) and her book The Unsophisticated Arts (1951).