An English Landscape England, 1635-1641 Watercolour and bodycolour with pen on paper 189 x 267 mm Anthony van Dyck is probably best known for his grand oil portraits of Charles I. In this watercolour, however, he proves his mastery of other media and subject matters. The trees in the foreground are lush and green and … Read more
Study from ‘The Massacre of the Innocents’ Rome, about 1780 Black chalk on paper 490 x 365 mm Tischbein made this drawing in Rome during a study trip to Italy (1779-1781). This was a common journey for artists at the time, giving them the chance to study and copy works of Renaissance masters. Here, Tischbein focuses … Read more
Chalk Cliffs in the Sun German, 1916 Black chalk on beige paper 284 x 208 mm The experience of war was a dominant theme in Dix’s work until the 1930s. Taken from a sketchbook compiled during the artist’s service in the German field artillery during the First World War, this drawing depicts a devastated landscape … Read more
Louis XIV Paris, about 1663 Black, red and white chalk 435 X 352 MM This study of Louis XIV (1638-1715) was drawn from life when the king was aged 25 and had been suffering from scarlet fever. Le Brun was particularly interested in how a person’s face could reveal their personality. Here the King is … Read more
Dressing for the masquerade London, 1790 Pencil, watercolour, pen and ink on paper 325 X 438 MM Four women dress for a masquerade; according to a paper held by the dishevelled figure to the right, it is to be held at the Pantheon in Oxford Street. She is disguised as a madwoman, a common guise … Read more
MISS LALA AT THE CIRQUE FERNANDO France, 1879 Black chalk with touches of pastel 470 x 320 mm In 1879 Degas made this preparatory drawing of Miss LaLa, an acrobat of mixed European and African parentage. Renowned for her agility, she performed throughout Europe. This daring perspective shows LaLa suspended from the rafters of the … Read more
A Nun Seated at a Table Paris, the 1910s Black chalk on paper 324 X 235 MM This drawing of an unknown nun is closely related to the series of portraits of Mère Poussepin Gwen John executed from 1913, one of which is shown in the Blue Gallery. The artist worked from a prayer card … Read more