Bronze Age Gold from Wales

The laundress

BONVIN, François (1817-1887)

At the time of their marriage in 1837, Bonvin's wife Elisabeth recorded her profession as that of a laundress. This oil sketch probably depicts her working to earn additional income after Bonvin has resigned from the Prefecture de Police in 1850 and was struggling to pursue his artistic career. After Elisabeth's death in 1859, the artist never again depicted this particular theme, which was taken up by Edgar Degas with considerable success during the 1870s and 1880s.

Collection Area

Art

Item Number

NMW A 2426

Creation/Production

BONVIN, François
Date: 1856

Acquisition

Purchase - Pyke Thompson funds, 1912
Purchased with funds bequeathed by James Pyke-Thompson

Measurements

Height (cm): 33
Width (cm): 21
Height (in): 13
Width (in): 8

Techniques

oil on canvas
Techniques (fine art)
art dept - fine
Fine Art - painting

Material

oil
canvas

Location

In store
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