Original artwork description:

This painting explores the image of a child worker from an old photograph circa late C19th to early C20th. I was drawn to the image through my current research on Lost Generations including the era of slavery, child working and indentured servitude in regards to the UK and Somerset. This is research exploring the role of the South West and the families who owned plantations in Jamaica and Virginia, growing tobacco and sugar.

The Lost Generation series does not specifically make any judgements upon the practices of slavery etc. but explores the lost generations of those caught up in the industry and the lost potential that might otherwise have contributed greatly to the betterment of society and the human condition, instead of serving greed and power.

The image is orignally a black and white photograph of which I included my own colours deciding upon a pinkish red for the water carrier jar. The title is a homage to The Girl With The Pearl Earing, acting as an image in direct opposition to the grander Vermeer painting, yet making a connection to the history of painting.

The painting is a small oil study for a possible larger work in the future and explores the loose brush marks attributed to the greats of Titian and Delacroix.

Materials used:

Oil Paint on 300gsm gessoed paper stock.

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