Stanley Spencer painted The Woolshop as a celebration of his friendship with Daphne Charlton, the wife of the painter George Charlton, with whom he was staying in Gloucestershire. It was one of a sequence of designs for an unrealised ‘chapel’ dedicated to Daphne and Spencer. The Woolshop recalls a visit to a shop in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. Daphne is shown choosing some wool with Spencer appearing subserviently as assistant to the shopper both in the foreground and background. The texture of the rings of wool echo Daphne’s jumper and hair as well as Spencer’s striped jacket. The serpentine line of woollen rings both frame Daphne’s figure and deftly link the foreground and background scenes. This work was bequeathed to Tate through The Art Fund by Maurice Farquharson with a life interest for his widow Nancy Farquharson. This fine painting greatly broadens Spencer’s representation in the Collection, and we expect it will be in great demand for displays.