The Royal Museums Greenwich has acquired a captivating and rare portrait of a serving Wren, a female naval officer from the Women’s Royal Naval Service during World War II. However, the museum is faced with the challenge of identifying the woman in the painting. The artwork, painted in 1945 by artist Joseph McCulloch, is set to be displayed in the historic Queen’s House while the museum appeals to readers who may recognize the mysterious woman. The image showcases a young Wren officer in a distinctive blue-green uniform, adorned with a uniform hat, tie, and a single blue ring on her sleeve. The museum curators are hopeful that the public will be able to shed light on this intriguing mystery before the exhibition in 2024.
Curator Katherine Gazzard describes the portrait as striking and arresting. She emphasizes the significance of this addition to the museum’s collection, noting that while they have numerous portraits of officers and sailors, they lack a formal portrait of a woman serving in the navy. Gazzard and her team have uncovered a few clues about the woman’s identity, including the possibility of her holding a Distinguished Service Medal. However, McCulloch’s sketchy style leaves some details, such as a wedding ring, uncertain.
The painting was acquired by the museum without much provenance, but Gazzard speculates that McCulloch, who worked in Chelsea at the time, may have known the sitter or someone associated with her. The museum’s endeavor to discover more images of women in the Navy holds great importance, as it addresses the issue of under-representation. Gazzard highlights that men have been depicted far more frequently than women, which is reflected in the records of the War Artists Advisory Committee. Despite women comprising 10% of personnel during the war, they make up only 3% of the depictions in the museum’s archives.
The portrait, currently undergoing cleaning by conservators RMG, will join a collection of sketches by former Wren Gladys E Reed. Reed’s drawings from the 1940s depict her colleagues engaged in wartime activities, providing another perspective on the role of women during that time.
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