Size 14 " x 17.5 "
Format Oil on Canvas
Signature Yes
Frame Not known

History of the painting

Other observations

This is one of only two paintings recorded before Harry married Edmee. At the time of their wedding, his occupation was recorded as an "artist in oils" so presumably there must be at least a few other examples from this time somewhere.

The vast majority of Harry's paintings (excluding the still life's) featured his and Edmee's children. However in1875 they had not married and possibly not even met. So who are the children in this painting? They might have been his youngest brother Ernest and youngest sister Edith however at the date this was painted these two were 21 and 18 so if this we so, it would have been a memory of these two doing homework.

This painting is an almost identical twin to "Homework 1875 Version 2". In this regard these two paintings are unique for there are not any other records of Harry having painted two almost identical paintings.

The Jug under the table appears in a number of other paintings.

Harry Brooker painted another painting in 1908 also known as Homework, also featuring a boy and a girl around a table.

Recently (2010) an identical painting has come to light which cast's some doubt on the date that Harry painted this painting. If the two paintings are in fact the same, then the owner of the painting reports that it has a date of 1915 on it.