[Anne May Hensley, Brasstown, North Carolina]

about 1933–1934

Medium

Platinum print

Dimensions

20.1 × 15 cm

Status

In Museum Collection

Collect24 Art ID

C24-234918

The image of the professional laundress, with overtones of the possibly illicit conduct of working women, was exploited in the nineteenth century by the artist Edgar Degas (1834-1917) and illustrators of the popular press. Doris Ulmann's ironer does recall an Impressionist pose, and the setting, which appears to be the same as that used in the compositions with her assistant John Jacob (“Jack”) Niles (1892-1980) and Blanche Scroggs (1917-2009) ([87.XM.89.3](https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/62287/doris-ulmann-john-jacob-niles-with-blanche-scroggs-brasstown-north-carolina-american-about-1933-1934/) and [87.XM.89.4](https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/62288/doris-ulmann-john-jacob-niles-with-blanche-scroggs-brasstown-north-carolina-american-about-1933-1934/)), creates an enigmatic atmosphere. Anne May Hensley (1915-2003) was the sister of Hayden Hensley, who also sat for photographs by Ulmann (link to 87.XM.89.127). Adapted from Judith Keller. *Doris Ulmann*, In Focus: Photographs from the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum, 1996), 86. ©1996, J. Paul Getty Trust.