“Washing Day,” created by Clementine Hunter in 1971, is a genre painting categorized within the Folk art and Outsider art movements. Originating from Natchitoches, United States, the artwork, measuring 40.64 by 60.96 cm, depicts an everyday domestic scene with expressive simplicity.
The artwork portrays three figures engaged in the process of doing laundry outdoors, a common task in many communities. The scene features two figures using washboards to scrub clothes, while another figure stirs a large black cauldron over an open fire, presumably to boil the garments. Clotheslines stretch across the scene, holding freshly washed linens in bright whites, bold reds, and calming blues that contrast against the beige background. The sky is painted in broad, sweeping strokes of blue and gray, possibly indicating an overcast day. The figures and the setting are rendered in a straightforward, unembellished style that is characteristic of folk art, capturing a moment of everyday life with a touch of vibrancy and authenticity.
