The Toilet
The 1950s were not a colourful period in Britain. In visual art, the era of post-war depression was perhaps best expressed by the five artists known as the Kitchen Sink painters; John Bratby, Jack Smith, Derek Greaves, Edward Middleditch and Peter Coker. The Ferens owns work by all but the latter, albeit from different periods in their careers. Coming from working class backgrounds, and all students of the Royal College of Art, they depicted what they regarded as the drab reality of their times. Bratby is the most widely recognised of the five. His paintings of the 1950s have very emotional and physical qualities, echoing the work of Van Gogh (1853-90). This is particularly evident in The Toilet with its tones of yellow and distorted perspective which draws the eye into the comfortingly familiar, mahogany seated, high cistern lavatory.