Ruby Loftus Screwing a Breech-ring
Ruby Loftus Screwing a Breech-ring is a 1943 painting by the British artist Laura Knight.
| Ruby Loftus Screwing a Breech-ring | |
|---|---|
_(Art._IWM_LD_2850).jpg) | |
| Artist | Laura Knight |
| Year | 1943 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 86 cm × 100 cm (34 in × 40 in)[1] |
| Location | The Imperial War Museum Collection |
It shows a young woman, Ruby Loftus, working at an industrial lathe. She is cutting a piece for an Ack-Ack (anti-aircraft) gun.
The painting was commissioned as part of the British war effort in the Second World War.
Loftus was a 21-year-old woman. She had become an expert in the production of breech-rings in seven months. It usually took several years.
The painting was commissioned to promote women's work in factories. Women dominate the picture, and only one man can be seen in the background.
When shown at the 1943 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, the painting was extremely popular, and was voted the picture of the exhibition. The image was reproduced in a large-scale poster version by the WAAC (Women's Army Auxiliary Corps) for display in factories across the country.