Stanley Spencer made portrait drawings of his friends and patrons for much of his life, often head and shoulder views, as if they were seated before him. He enjoyed this activity, he said, because of his ‘exquisite appreciation of heads’.
This work, Portrait of J. Louis Behrend, is a prime example of his keen attention to detail, as he focuses on his face, with his torso fading into the paper. Also, his gaze directly confronts the viewer, yet is soft. Spencer’s light use of pencil captures his subject’s gentle demeanour.
MEDIUM: Pencil on paper
DIMENSIONS: (unframed) 8.3 x 7.0 ins/ 21.1 x 17.8 cm