Two Students in the Life Room of the Heatherley School of Fine Art

The still atmosphere of the studio and the relaxed poses of the seated female figures painted by British artist, Nellie Joshua, belie the controversy that surrounded women as professional artists, especially as sculptors and painters in oil, during the 19th century. Even in 1900, women taking up space in this traditionally masculine world, as Joshua’s painting shows them doing, was still a source of tension. Part of the controversy hinged on whether it was immoral and corrupting for women to draw from nude models. Drawing from the undraped nude (called “life drawing”) was foundational to a fine arts training. Indeed, it was seen as essential to artistic practice, especially as history painting, which involved human figures, was elevated as the pinnacle of artistic expression. The exclusion of women from life drawing classes, therefore also excluded them from professional “high art” practice. Women were typically confined to the status of amateur, working in watercolor, painting landscapes, still lifes, or portraits. Very few female painters in oil, like Bonheur in France or Elizabeth Thompson (1846-1933) in Britain, gained widespread recognition. Perhaps surprisingly given this context, from its foundation in 1845 Heatherley’s, a private art school in central London, admitted women on equal terms as men, allowing them to attend life drawing classes and draw undraped models. The school gave a start to the careers of female artists such as Thompson and Kate Greenaway (1846-1901), who is best known as an illustrator. The school still exists today.
Joshua was a student at Heatherley’s, painting this work shortly after her time there in 1902. Between 1902 and 1911 she exhibited at the Institute of Oil Painters (founded in London in 1882, which became the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 1909), the Society of Women Artists (founded ca. 1855), and the Royal Academy (in 1910 and 1911). As a Jewish artist, in 1906 her work was also included in an exhibition of ancient and modern Jewish art held at the pioneering Whitechapel Art Gallery, founded in 1901 in one of the poorest neighborhoods in east London. Joshua’s work was more widely known through reproductive prints – a photogravure of her popular painting Ways of Wooing was presented to Queen Mary. After her marriage in 1913 Joshua’s artistic career seems to have ended.

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Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Anissa El Helou, London, before 1987; Sale, El Helou Collection, Christie's London, 19 May 1999, lot 517. Private Collection, UK. Liss Llewellyn, Fine Art Dealers, London, before 2021. Lawrences Auctioneers, Crewkerne, 12 October 2022, lot 446; purchased by Elliott Fine Art, London, 2022; purchased by Walters Art Museum in honor of 50 years of dedicated service from the docents, 2023.