The artwork “Ruby Loftus screwing a Breech-ring,” created by Laura Knight in 1943, is an oil painting executed on canvas. It belongs to the Social Realism movement and measures 100 x 86 cm. The piece is a genre painting and is currently housed in the Imperial War Museum in London, UK.
The artwork depicts Ruby Loftus, a woman intricately engaged in the precise and skilled task of screwing a breech-ring on a lathe machine, indicative of the wartime industrial efforts during World War II. Dressed in blue work attire with a green headscarf, Ruby is portrayed with intense concentration and dexterity, which highlights the significant contributions of women in the workforce during this era. The background features several other women similarly engrossed in machinery tasks, underscoring the collective effort within a factory setting. The scene is rich with industrial details, with various machinery components and tools contributing to the lively yet focused atmosphere. Laura Knight’s meticulous brushwork and realistic approach bring depth and authenticity to this vivid portrayal of wartime labor.
