Mexican Bathers
by Agnes Tait (American, 1894–1981)
Artist: Agnes Tait
Date: 20th Century
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: [Insert dimensions once available]
Provenance: Bonhams, Lot 231 – Travel & Exploration, Knightsbridge, London, June 2024
Restoration: Currently undergoing conservation with Julien, 2024
Framing: Scheduled for framing after restoration
Agnes Tait – Mexican Bathers (c. 1950s)
Oil on canvas
Agnes Tait’s Mexican Bathers offers a vivid portrayal of rural life in mid-20th-century Mexico. In this genre painting, a group of women bathe and wash laundry along a quiet riverbank. Some brush one another’s hair, others wade through the water, while linens hang to dry nearby. In the distance, several men watch from the shade. The composition’s focal point—a large tree—provides shelter and structure to the intimate scene.
Painted in the 1950s, this work reflects Tait’s mature style, blending natural light, loose brushwork, and vibrant color. Her approach captures motion and harmony, giving each figure individuality and life. It exemplifies the American Scene movement’s focus on everyday people, filtered through Tait’s sensitive and respectful eye.
The painting has been professionally conserved and framed to museum standards. It is now available for private sale through Chicagoland Masterpiece Revival.
Mexican Bathers pairs meaningfully with another Tait painting in our collection, The Shepherdess, which showcases a more introspective and pastoral vision. Together, these works illustrate Tait’s range—from moments of quiet solitude to community-centered celebration.
To learn more, visit our full Agnes Tait artist page. For additional works by women artists in our collection, explore our American Regionalist Paintings and Women in Art highlights.