Only a Shower 

"Only a Shower" was painted by George Hemming Mason sometime before 1872. In it, we see Mason, who was deeply influenced by the Barbizon school, turning his gaze towards the rural life of women in the Italian countryside. The painting depicts a pastoral scene with women either bathing or resting in a forest-like setting. We see a young woman standing in a shallow tub, seemingly drying her hair, while other figures recline nearby. There’s a sense of timelessness, but also an underlying tension. The women appear both as figures in a landscape, and as subjects with their own desires and interior lives. Their clothing hints at the social position and lived experiences, where labor and leisure intertwine. The emotional resonance of this piece lies in its intimate portrayal of women, framed by the natural world. Mason's work prompts us to reflect on how we represent women in art, caught between romanticized ideals and the realities of everyday life.