Woman with a cat

In the summer of 1919 Lewis began to return to drawing from nature, with a particular emphasis on the human figure. A series of highly coloured nudes in complex poses were executed. Towards the end of 1919 and throughout 1920, he concentrated on depicting a seated girl, clothed and often with other studio props, such as a Windsor chair, knitting needles, or holding a cat. Walter Michel (Wyndham Lewis Paintings and Drawings, London, 1971) illustrates another watercolour of the same subject Woman with cat, 1919, as no. 361, pl. 41.