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A Woman
A Woman

A Woman

Artist (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1885 - 1934)
Mediumoil on canvas
ClassificationsPaintings And Drawings
DimensionsOverall: Height: 51.2 cm, Width: 41 cm
Frame: Height: 68 cm, Width: 59.1 cm
AcquisitionPresented in 1935 by Mr & Mrs Lachlan Mackinnon.
CopyrightOut of copyright - CC0
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDAG004462
Other Titles
  • A Negress
About MeThis work was created by British artist Esther Blaikie Mackinnon. The historical title uses the now outdated term 'negress', the female form of 'negro', which at the time that this work was created was commonly used to refer to a person of African descent.
Mackinnon travelled extensively, however it is not known whether she painted this nude study in Britain or whilst she was abroad. This work undoubtedly shows the influence of the tropical environments that she may have encountered during her travels. She has included pineapples, oranges and other fruits in a palette of orange, yellow and red hues to convey a sense of warmth.

This work bears a resemblance to French Post-Impressionist Paul Gauguin's exotic Tahitian imagery that he created as a result of his visits to Tahiti from 1891-1893 and 1895. Mackinnon's use of Gauguinesque formal elements accentuates the natural femininity of the figure while the fruit bowl may be seen to act as a metaphor for fertility.
More About Me
Mackinnon's A Woman is an artwork trenchant in nineteenth-century sensibilities. Influenced by the tropical climes and exploits of colonial expansionism, the artwork depicts a woman crouched beside a bowl of fruit, which contains pineapples and oranges, fruits unseen in Britain until the 1500s.
Re-framing the Collection
Previously entitled A Negress. The title of this painting was changed in 2022 to 'A Woman' to demonstrate AAGM's commitment to remove offensive language from object titles.