Even those who maintained that British painter and bohemian trailblazer Augustus John never completely fulfilled his early potential would agree that he had few equals as a draughtsman, particularly in portraiture. As well as an astonishing talent and sensitivity these studies reveal a remarkable range of styles, from a kind of late Renaissance sanguine to a modern pencil and wash. One of John’s most affecting pieces captures novelist Ronald Firbank almost disappearing into nothingness. Elsewhere T.E. Lawrence appears in three sketches over the course of a decade; the hero of the Arab campaigns seems to become more human the further he gets from the source of his renown.
Jacob Epstein
Robert Nichols
Gwen John
Ronald Firbank
Self portrait
T.E. Lawrence (1919)
T.E. Lawrence (1923)
T.E. Lawrence (1929)
Brenda Dean Paul
W. B. Yeats
Walter de la Mare
Benjamin Waugh
Further reading
British Bohème, Bohemian twilight, Strange Flowers guide to London, part 2 and part 3, To the very dregs, Circles: Evan Morgan, Wyndham Lewis | portrait studies (Augustus John)
Ronald works the room, Concerning the Eccentricities of Ronald Firbank, At home with Ronald Firbank, Doubles: Ronald Firbank, Vainglory (Ronald Firbank)
“Scholar, connoisseur, drunkard, poet, pervert…”, Lady Ottoline Morrell | photographic portraits (W. B. Yeats)
Hey! He doesn’t look ANYTHING like Peter O’Toole!
Man, these are gorgeous…the YEATS! Wow…the Firbank, ditto and the de La Mare! These are stunning, thanks, as always.
So, Benjamin Waugh? Brenda Dean paul? Am I the only person on earth who doesn’t know who these people are?
I wish I could remember the Andy Warhol quote about Peter O’Toole – it was along the lines of “I mean can you imagine a woman called Clit O’Muff?”
I’m glad you like. I think they’re stunning. As for Benjamin Waugh – a quick Wiki peak tells me he founded the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, so I think we can put him down as A Pretty Good Guy. And Brenda Dean Paul was a socialite and Bright Young Thing who (anyone? please step in and correct me if I’m wrong) founded nothing but a coke habit.