Gwen John

Gwen John (1876-1939) is best known for her watercolours and drawings of solitary, anonymous women, plain interiors and still lifes. Born in Wales, she was the sister of Augustus John. She studied at the Slade School of Art from 1895-8, under Henry Tonks, and was one of the first generation of women to receive a formal art education. Her time at the Slade was followed by lessons from Whistler in Paris. It was here that she concentrated and developed her use of colour and tone, particularly adopting Whistler's own sense of delicate tonality. She returned briefly to London, but by 1904 had settled permanently in France, first in Paris, where she modelled for other artists to earn a living, and it was then that she became Auguste Rodin's lover. In 1911 she moved to Meudon on the outskirts of the city, where she painted this lovely watercolour of a terrace, c. 1920.

Although she preferred solitude, she was associated with many well-known artists of the time. Living in Meudon, she began painting female churchgoers, nuns and children following her conversion to Catholicism. Her style was quite meditative, and remained consistent throughout her career, and she mainly used drawing and watercolours as she favoured the spontaneity and rapidity they gave her.

Although her work was overshadowed by that of her brother's during their lifetimes, awareness and appreciation of John's works has grown in recent years.