The Widows 1944

Jacqueline Hick created this print entitled ‘The Widows’ in 1949. The image depicts three women dressed in dark clothes, presumably mourning. Hick lived through both world wars and the intervening depression, all events that had a significant impact on the social and cultural life of Western nations. The wars brought unprecedented levels of bereavement to many families. The sombre colour and subject of this work are in keeping with the mood of the period. Images of grief and mourning became prevalent as artists sought to express the emotional landscape of post-war society. The work shows the cultural preoccupation with death and loss prevalent at the time. It is important to note that this was a time when cultural and social expectations fell differently on women, particularly on widows. To better understand the social context in which this print was made, one might research historical records, literature, and other artworks from the time. This reminds us that the meaning of a work of art is always partly a product of its time.