Original ‘School Print’, Window Plants, by John Nash and published by School Prints Ltd, 1945. The design depicts a woman sitting behind an open window with a striped tabby cat on her lap and a canary perched in a gold cage suspended from the ceiling. On the windowsill are six plant pots, one white ceramic with blue flowers, and five terracotta pots with geraniums, amaryllis, Christmas cactus, aloe vera or varigata. A higher resolution image file is available for viewing on request.

School Prints Ltd was set up in 1945 by Brenda Rawnley to supply original, high-quality contemporary art to schools. The project commissioned both well-known and emerging artists, with the lithograph printing undertaken by the Baynard Press. Each lithograph had a drawn frame so that the print could be pinned to the wall. In the words of the Victoria & Albert Museum, “the scheme was a unique attempt at giving children access to original works of art in a period of austerity”. More information about School Prints can be found here.