I cannot for the life of me find out the artist of this image but I think it is beautiful.
Edited to add:- Thanks to you lovely lot I now know - It's called Cleaning Fruit by William Kay Blacklock
What is it with me and girls and women by windows doing something domestic ... looking at it broadly it is possibly my need to escape into the fresh air at every opportunity and to move forward in life. Never staying in the same place for too long has always been my thing, so looking at it that way I see windows as just that, windows of opportunity ... but with simple household chores thrown in for good measure to keep me grounded.
Doorways are too easy, but windows offer that chance of escape with just a little bit more work.
I was wondering the other day why my stationery drawer never seems to get depleted and then after a mornings work and lots of printing I found myself saving all the offcuts for shopping lists ... and I had an 'aha!!' moment.
Sue xx
I agree, it is a lovely picture. Calm, serene, productive. Wish life was really like that! :-)
ReplyDeletexx
The painting is called Cleaning Fruit and it's by William K Blacklock. He did lots of paintings of women doing "domestic" tasks, his wife Ellen and daughter Eleanor often acting as his models. I love his pictures, they have a lovely serenity about them. Thankyou for sharing this one (I too save scraps or paper like that, you are not alone!)
DeleteOh gosh, don't we all Joy!!
DeleteThank you for that Angela ... I knew I would have some well educated readers that would let me know. I tried Google Images putting in everything from Girl by Window Peeling Plums/Peaches/Cherries/Potatoes (yes I was getting desperate by this time!!) to 1940's Lady by Window ... and absolutely nothing. Thanks to you I have just found so many more of his images ... and they are beautiful.
DeleteA lovely picture. When we used to go to big grand country houses, I always stayed longest in the beautiful old kitchens and felt like I could move in! Though my favourite place for that is when we visit Tretower Court, which has been restored back to the 15th C, and I never want to LEAVE it! Tretower regularly appears in films. A Discovery of Witches was probably the most recent (LOVE that!)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, me too, I'm sure in a former life I was 'below stairs'. Alan is very patient of my desire to linger in the kitchens, storerooms and workrooms of all the National Trust properties that we visit, I whizz through the 'posh' rooms and head for the Butlers Pantry and kitchens. I've never seen a Discovery of Witches, but I just Googled it and it sounds right up my street.
DeleteCannot recommend DoW too highly - preferably the books because, as has to be the case, much was left out of the TV adaptation. However, the programmes are still glorious eye candy.
DeleteI think wanting to escape is something which many feel at times.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh yes ... and I do it frequently. Which is one of the reasons we are trying out a narrow boat holiday. If it turns out that is not suitable for us, I feel another caravan might be in the offing.
DeleteIt's never occurred to me before but I love paintings of women beside windows, especially those by Johanne Vermeer.I'm a Sagittarian and our defining character trait is a love of travel. I love to look out of windows and sigh over the planes passing overhead, I'm like a caged tiger if I don't have at least one flight booked! xxx
ReplyDeleteYes I love Johanne Vermeer too, in fact I have his 'The Milkmaid' painting (obviously a copy ... haha) on my living room wall. Which subconsciously lured me into buying a very similar pitcher for my birthday flowers. Knowing that I have somewhere to go or somewhere to move to keeps me motivated, in fact we have two more small holiday breaks booked for this year. I'm an Aries, fiery and ready for anything.
DeleteThat is a very serene painting...The feeling of wanting to escape is something I deal with
ReplyDeleteShe is very calm and centred on what she is doing isn't she, I wish I could get that meditative over a bowl of fruit.
DeleteWindows of opportunity are all around us...That painting is very calming.
ReplyDeleteThey really are aren't they ... we just have to watch out for them!!
DeleteI believe it is by William K Blacklock.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it is. I have just tumbled down a rabbit hole of beautiful paintings thanks to everyone who have named this lovely artist.
DeleteIt's by William Blacklock, Sue.
ReplyDeleteIt is, and isn't his work beautiful. :-)
DeleteIt is a lovely picture, it seems to depict calmness and a simple life, something a lot of us dream of. We too have moved many times but right now whilst in the midst of work being done on our kitchen, I don't think I could cope with another move as the stress of this kitchen is driving me nuts ! We are lucky to have settled in Cornwall in a small town with everything we need in walking distance and those I care about most in the world very near ( except for eldest son currently in Iraq , being in the RAF ). I think I can be satisfied with moving furniture around, changing bedrooms and soft furnishings to keep me happy and if circumstances allow me ,jumping on a little train to take me to Looe, which is only twenty minutes away, buying a portion of chips and sitting on the sea wall.
ReplyDeleteIt's a tranquil and yet productive moment captured so well isn't it.
DeleteCornwall is a good place to be settled in, and making a home out of what you have, in the place you are in is a real skill. I hope your son is safe in Iraq, I don't know what the situation is like there at the moment but I know when my son was there (before and during the war) it was a completely different ball game and very worrying. I bet you really need those portions of chips sitting on a sea wall to calm your mind and help you relax.
Thank you, I don't know a lot about the situation there at the moment but things are always unsettled in that area aren't they ,he is on an American base and says that the food is really good which is priority for him, he is so laid back, not like Mother who worries too much. Chips are my comfort food ,so he will come back to a Mother twice the size :)
DeleteIt's a beautiful painting and I'm glad Ang knew who it was by. Now going to discover more. Love Blogland!
ReplyDeleteYou may be gone a while, I tumbled down a rabbit hole of epic proportions looking at his art ... and that of others ... there are so many girls by so many windows. Blogland is brilliant for finding things out and discovering new treasures isn't it.
DeleteSue, you made me realise why I so love a painting you mentioned a few weeks ago - Woman at the Window by Salvador Dali - it feels like me, looking longingly out to sea, lost in thought. I have moved house so many times because I can never stay in one place for long - itchy feet, a proper gypsy!
ReplyDeleteAnd Chrissie - do you live in Liskeard? I also moved to Cornwall, from Leicestershire, 30-odd years ago; love that train ride to Looe, past the heronry and such a beautiful route. I also have a son whose work takes him to Iraq; he returns next week until September.
Yes, I do live in Liskeard my son is in Iraq until October 9(Apologies Sue for using your blog to reply to a personal message )
DeleteMy apologies too, Sue. I clicked on Chrissie's name but she doesn't have a blog where I could have contacted her.
DeleteIt is such a beautiful painting and it draws me in too. I imagine it's how my Nan would have done it and even the chair back looks somehow familiar.
ReplyDeleteI do exactly the same as you and save any offcuts from the printer and from card making for my lists. It becomes compulsive!
His work is lovely and peaceful!
ReplyDeleteI did notice how many layers of clothing women used to have to wear! Goodness, they must have been warm and imagine all of the laundry!
Lovely painting. To me windows frame an opportunity to do something different...to watch nature and to draw me outside.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.