Woman Carrying Pot and Child
Original painting on paper or card, professionally matted and framed. • Signed 'Tilly Willis'. This is Tilly Willis (British, b. 1949), a painter known for her travel-based portraits, particularly of African subjects in Mali and Kenya.
Style & Movement
Contemporary Figurative Art / Realistic Illustration with elements of Naive Art.
Medium & Technique
Oil or heavy gouache/acrylic on paper. The technique uses smooth blending for the sky/background and flat color blocks for the figure, characteristic of illustrative folk art styles.
Creation Period
1994 (as indicated by the '94' date following the signature)
Dimensions & Format
Small to medium format, approximately 8x10 inches for the sight area, displayed in a vertical portrait orientation.
Subject Description
The painting depicts a solitary African woman (likely Maasai or from a similar East African culture based on the clothing and pot style) walking across a vast arid landscape. She balances a traditional clay water vessel on her head and carries an infant in a white sling on her back. The composition is minimalist, emphasizing the silhouette and the contrast between the saturated red of her garment and the monochromatic yellow haze of the desert sun.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good. The image remains vibrant; however, there is visible moisture damage (cockling and tidelines) on the white matting at the bottom of the frame.
Estimated Market Value
$300 - $600 USD (based on small-scale original works by Willis on paper).
Auction Estimate
$200 - $450 USD
Provenance History
Likely acquired through a decorative art gallery or directly from the artist during the mid-1990s. No specific gallery labels are visible, but the frame appears to be of standard commercial quality from that era.
Art Historical Significance
Willis is recognized for capturing the dignity and daily life of remote communities. While this is a common theme in 'Travel Art', her work is valued for its focus on light and the sensitive portrayal of the human figure within a landscape.
Notable Features
Includes a clear signature 'Tilly Willis 94' in the bottom right corner. The use of a long, sharp shadow at the base of the figure is a signature element of her work to convey intense equatorial sunlight.
Condition Issues
Significant water staining on the lower portion of the paper mat board. Possible slight rippling of the paper support due to humidity exposure behind the glass.
Conservation Recommendations
The piece should be re-matted with acid-free, archival materials to remove the stained border. It should be reframed using UV-protective glass to prevent the yellow pigments from fading.