Hairdressing has been at the heart of communities since time began. An intimate ritual, it's at once private and very public; there aren't many jobs which allow you get as close as a hairdresser. Here are some artworks that capture the art of hairdressing.
La toilette c.1962
Peter Godfrey Collins (1935–2023)
Oil on canvas
H 89.9 x W 111.8 cm
Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
Combing the Hair ('La Coiffure') about 1896
Edgar Degas (1834–1917)
Oil on canvas
H 114.3 x W 146.7 cm
The National Gallery, London
A Maid combing a Woman's Hair about 1883
Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (1824–1898)
Oil on millboard
H 32.5 x W 24 cm
The National Gallery, London
Invention of the combing-machine 1862
Alfred Elmore (1815–1881)
Oil on canvas
H 100.2 x W 141 cm
Bradford Museums and Galleries
A Gentleman's Toilet (La petite toilette)
Jean-Michel Moreau le jeune (1741–1814) (after)
Oil on wood
H 26.5 x W 19.3 cm
Wellcome Collection
An Indian Lady Attending to Her Toilette with a Helper Holding a Mirror for Her 19th C (?)
unknown artist
Gouache, ink & pen on paper (?)
H 12.5 x W 8 cm
Wellcome Collection
Hairdressing 1947
Geoffrey Arthur Tibble (1909–1952)
Oil on canvas
H 100 x W 73.7 cm
Southampton City Art Gallery
Lady Seated at Hairdressers (?) 1953
Georges van Houten (1888–1964)
Oil on canvas
H 100 x W 80 cm
Examination Schools, University of Oxford
Portrait of a Lady Brushing Her Hair with a Maid 1953
Georges van Houten (1888–1964)
Oil on canvas
H 107 x W 87 cm
Examination Schools, University of Oxford
Tattooing and Braiding the Hair
unknown artist
Pigment on parchment
H 11 x W 15.3 cm
Horniman Museum and Gardens
A Malabar Barber Cutting a Customer's Hair
unknown artist
Gouache, gold & gum arabic on paper (?)
H 30 x W 22 cm
Wellcome Collection
