(click image to enlarge)
The following exert is taken from the second chapter of Paddy Rossmore's biography, where he examines Betty Swanwick's works from the period of the mid 1960s to the mid 1970s; 'roughly the first ten years of the late visionary works'.
'The Staircase [CR D53] appears to be related directly to Women Preparing for a Banquet – although painted some seven years later. The appropriate New Testament verses, referring to the arrangements for the Last Supper, would seem to be those from The Gospel According to St Mark:
And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us (Mark 14:14-15)
In the picture, three women – who presumably made the necessary preparations – modestly stand in a line at the bottom of the stairs. It is worth noting their facial expressions and hand gestures.
They must have been awaiting the arrival of the man in the foreground. The picture shows that he was talking to the women – perhaps acknowledging their contribution – for judging by the position of his body and left foot, he has been facing them. He is now in the process of turning in order to mount the stairs.
Beyond the women is an empty wine crate and out of the window a weathercock can be seen, alluding perhaps to Peter's denial of his master.
This therefore appears to be a second picture connected with the Last Supper, and service, and referring to and illustrating a role played by women.'
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