Fragments of a Self-Portrait

This study is related to two pen and ink self-portraits made by Spencer in 1913 culminating in the oil Self-Portrait (K. Bell, no. 17, owned by Tate, London) painted in Cookham and completed in 1914. The present drawing differs from the other two ink drawings in being composed of fragments - hands and a portion of the face - while the other two show the whole head. The inclusion of the hands in the drawing may suggest that Spencer at one time contemplated a half-length oil self-portrait rather than the present head and shoulders composition of the Tate painting. Spencer recorded his first self-portrait Head in 1910 (Tate Spencer Archives, 733.3.1) and continued to use himself as a subject of both drawings and painting for the rest of his life. He learned the pen and ink technique with its use of heavy cross-hatching, similar to that of Old Master drawings, at the Slade School.

We are very grateful to Professor Keith Bell for preparing this catalogue entry.