Russian Bath, 1936

Watercolour painting by Paraskeva Clark of the interior of a Russian bathhouse, seen from a high viewpoint. Simple nude female figures sit on benches and carry buckets of water in a room with tall windows and a vaulted ceiling.

Paraskeva Clark, Russian Bath, 1936, watercolour on paper, sheet: 37 x 42.3 cm, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto.

This is the second iteration Clark painted on the theme of the Russian bath. The Russian public bath, or banya, was a national institution, particularly for working-class people who had no private bathroom. Men and women had separate facilities, so for Clark it represented a private world where women could perform their ablutions, socialize, and relax. She had fond memories of going there with her mother.

Gallery

Russian Bath - Art Canada