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| Me outside the Walker Art Gallery |
On the 6th of May 2012 I visited the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. As well as housing there own impressive collection of art, ranging from the Rembrandt to Bridget Riley, the gallery is famous for holding the John Moores Painting Prize. Past winners of the competition include: David Hockney, John Hoyland, Peter Doig (a personal favourite), John Bratby, and Keith Coventry.
The building itself is very impressive and is built in the neo-classical style. Once you step inside you'll find that your anticipation is not met by dissapointment -far from it!
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| The Two Jamaican Girls, 1937 by Augustus John |
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| Detail of the girl's head |
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| John's famously simple signature |
Augustus John (1878-1961) studied at the Slade School of Art along with his sister, Gwen John. Whilst still a student, John became well known for his draftsmanship, and was to later become regarded as one of the greatest in England.
I was attracted to this double portrait in particular because it relates to my Individual Investigation which examines how figures are portrayed in Japaneses and Welsh art. John's brush strokes are very bold and confident; there would have been no preliminary drawing. It is very striking as one of the girls appears to command our gaze whilst the other looks away. There is an unusual relationship between the figures in the painting because of the way in which they have sat. There almost appears to be a hierarchy!
