Two Girls Resting on the Grass

Philip Wilson Steer studied art in Paris. Renowned for his sea and landscape paintings, he was a leading British Impressionist and a member of the New English Art Club.

This informal painting shows two young women in full gowns sleeping hand-in-hand in a field, one resting her head on the other’s bosom. It is a picture of innocence and contentment, evoking the impression of a peaceful summer day. Steer’s fast, sketchy brushstrokes contrast with the perfect stillness of the scene.