Gwen John left Britain for France in 1903 and lived and worked in Meudon, outside Paris, for the rest of her life. A private person with little appetite for social activity, John eschewed the bohemian artistic milieu of Paris but still gained exposure to the latest innovations in modern painting. The quiet, contemplative mood of this painting is coupled with a sense of artistic daring. The perspective of the table is so steep that the objects look like they might slide off. The striped wallpaper flattens the image to an even greater extent. The objects form a picture of the artist, with the prayer book, inkwell, shawl, and flowers evoking her pious nature, furtive mind, and melancholic sense of beauty.
Gallery label for installation of YCBA collection, 2020
Credit Line: Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection