Girl in a yellow jersey

It was the Glasgow streets which gave Eardley her subject-matter. Her favourite subjects were the families from the surrounding tenements. She made many preliminary studies on the spot and would then work them up in her studio. The studies are small, intimate and poignant, the finished oils strong and full of emotion, both always executed in bold, vivid colours. She recalled, 'I got to know about half a dozen families well, especially a family by the name of Samson. There is a large number of Samsons, twelve at the present moment, so I have always had a certain number of children from this family of any age when I chose to need' (see W. Buchanan, Joan Eardley, Edinburgh, 1976, p. 36).