Young Woman in a Kerchief and Cloak at Hastings 1807

Joshua Cristall rendered this study of a Young Woman in a Kerchief and Cloak at Hastings using watercolor on paper. This was a period when watercolor was rising in status, valued for its immediacy and portability. Here, the thin washes of color beautifully capture the textures of everyday garments. The blue and white checkered fabric, likely cotton, suggests a working-class dress. The ochre cloak and darker kerchief would have been made from wool, perhaps spun at home. Cristall’s method of application – light, even strokes – gives the impression of the soft fabric. Yet there is a tension here: watercolor was increasingly taught to young ladies as a genteel accomplishment, and Cristall himself was a leading figure in the movement to elevate the medium. He has ennobled this figure, imbuing her with a sense of quiet dignity. This artwork reminds us that materials, making, and social context go hand in hand.