Artwork
Woman Scrubbing the Floor
Woman Scrubbing the Floor is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Daniel Maclise. It dates from 1825 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Woman Scrubbing the Floor is a pencil drawing by Daniel Maclise, depicting a woman in everyday domestic labor. The piece is characterized by quick, rough lines, capturing a moment of physical effort.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, a woman in a bonnet and long skirts, is portrayed in a state of intense activity, scrubbing the floor with a brush, accompanied by a nearby bucket and mop. The focus is on conveying movement and labor rather than intricate detail.
Technique & Style
Maclise employed rapid, loose strokes to create a sense of immediacy and realism, prioritizing the depiction of dynamic movement over meticulous rendering of details.
History & Provenance
This drawing is part of a extensive collection of 390 works by Maclise and other notable artists (including Calderon, T.S. Cooper, and Landseer), housed in a multi-frame pillar stand.
Artist & collection
Artist
Daniel Maclise (25 January 1806 – 25 April 1870) was an Irish history painter, literary and portrait painter, and illustrator, who worked for most of his life in London, England.
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