West Indian Waitresses, c.1955 (oil on paper)

A half-length double portrait of two West Indian waitresses at Lyon's Corner House, employing loose brushwork and dry paint in a restricted palette, sparingly applied. Frankfurther focuses on the women's faces and postures observing her subjects with empathy and dignity, although typically they neither smile nor engage with the viewer. Frankfurther’s migrant Corner House workers also document the changing landscape of postwar Britain including the introduction of self-service cafeterias with counter staff portioning out standardized food from open bains-marie replacing the popular 'nippy' waitresses. The composition is carefully arranged so that the two waitresses appear to mirror one another, implying a close personal as well as professional relationship between them. The strong verticals of their bodies and the solid horizontals of their beam-like arms form a static framework counterbalanced by a series of strong diagonals, while their stilled gestures suggest a rare quiet moment among the noisy, busy reality of restaurant life.The rose-coloured background is typical of the ‘feminine’ palette that indicates Frankfurther’s instinctive sympathy for women.