A charming series of aquatic studies whose decorative calm is disturbed by the complex social history of colonial Kenya.
In three distinct scenes, seahorses embrace, an octopus lies in wait, and a boarfish evades its predator, all rendered with the clean lines and soft colors of mid-century illustration. The artist's technique is confident and controlled; each form is clearly defined yet softened by delicate watercolour washes, creating a world that is more emblematic than naturalistic. The titles inscribed on the reverse, however, add a layer of trepidation; "Darby and Joan" and "The Yellow Peril" infuse these decorative works with the undertones of British domestic ideals and colonial anxiety, making them sophisticated documents of a specific time and place.
Medium: Watercolour on paper
Inscription on Verso: Each work has a handwritten label bearing the name and address "Miss R.G. Norman, Box 6 Endebess, Nairobi" and a title.
Condition: All three works are framed under glass in simple period frames. The paper shows light, even age-toning but the works are clean and well-preserved.
