Flowers in a Jug c. 1935 - 1936

Curator: Dame Ethel Walker, born in 1861, painted “Flowers in a Jug” at some point during her lifetime. It's currently held in the Tate Collections. Editor: The heavy impasto immediately strikes me; it almost vibrates with a contained energy. Curator: Walker embraced Impressionism, yes, but also carved out a space as a woman artist defying expectations in Edwardian England. This painting subtly speaks to a woman claiming her space and vision. Editor: The composition, however, feels so traditional, so rooted in conventional still life arrangements. I see a tension between the radical brushwork and the conservative subject matter. Curator: Exactly! Her choice to depict domestic beauty becomes a statement in itself, challenging the male-dominated art world to value the everyday experience of women. Editor: Ultimately, it is the texture that stays with me, the way Walker builds form through layers of tactile paint. Curator: It’s a painting that reveals more and more about Walker's world the longer you look.