Ann Shafer

 

I’m a sucker for great drawing and in this print of English artist Henry Rushbury, Gerald Leslie Brockhurst does not disappoint. Brockhurst is best known for his society portraits—he painted such luminaries as Wallis Simpson and Mrs. Paul Mellon—that give an idealized version of the sitter. In this portrait of his friend and fellow artist, Brockhurst captures his character in a more satisfying way. It is interesting, however, that instead of including objects that help viewers understand that the sitter is an artist, Brockhurst includes three books at right, indicating Rushbury’s intellectual capacity. As much as I love good drawing, I also appreciate the technical prowess necessary to create this print. The image is not large (the plate measures 10 x 7 ½ inches) and the details in the face and clothing are just gorgeous. One needs a good magnifying glass to really get close and discover how he delineated the volume of Rushbury’s face using only tiny dots and slashes. This is an etching that rewards scrutiny. Also, I’m amazed that Brockhurst used no tonal technique, like aquatint, to get the blacks in the background. The entire plate is created with fine lines. This is a masterpiece of the etching technique.