Wall mural designed by Sylvia Pankhurst for the Women's Exhibition

Photograph depicting a wall mural designed by Sylvia Pankhurst for the Women's Exhibition, May 1909. The mural was one in a series designed by Sylvia for the exhibition held at Prince's Skating Rink, Knightsbridge between 13th and 26th May 1909. Influenced by the work of the artist Walter Crane the 20 foot high murals completely covered the walls of the exhibition hall and provided visitors with a powerful and emotive interpretation of women's struggle for freedom. The murals were painted and stencilled on canvas by Sylvia and seven fellow artists in the Suffragette colours of purple, white and green. The Murals that lined both long walls of the hall were each painted with an arch of purple grapes and green ivy with, in the centre, alternating designs depicting either a pelican feeding its young, a flying dove with an olive branch in its mouth or the broad arrow surrounded by a wreath of laurels. At the back of the hall was a large canvas painted with three female figures representing the themes from 'The Sower' to 'The Reaper'. The mural depicted in this image represents one of these figures. Here a woman carrying a sheaf of grain is flanked by two angels with a beaming sun of hope overhead. The citation is from the Biblical psalm 'He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him'. Other parts of the psalm were painted on adjacent murals.