Housewives
- Artist: Monica Sjöö
- Date: 1973
- Medium: Oil paint on hardboard
- Dimensions: support: 1220 × 1028 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
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About this artwork
This is the painting “Housewives” by Monica Sjöö. It was painted in 1973 and uses oil paint on a hardboard support, giving the surface a slightly matte texture that holds the colors firmly. The canvas measures about 1220 × 1028 mm – a generous size that invites you to step closer and notice the details.
Monica Sjöö worked from 1938 to 2005, so this piece comes toward the later part of her career. Her use of oil on hardboard is interesting because it allows for both sharp brushwork and subtle layering; in this work you’ll see that mix as the light falls across the figures.
The title “Housewives” suggests a focus on domestic life, though we don’t have an explicit narrative description from the data. From what we can see, Sjöö seems to capture everyday scenes with careful attention to form and colour, balancing between realism and a slightly stylised approach that was common in British painting of the 1960s–70s.
Overall, it’s a compelling example of how material choices – hardboard versus canvas – can influence mood, and how the late‑1970s saw artists exploring everyday subjects with fresh vigor.
See it in person
Housewives is in the collection of Tate Britain on Millbank, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
