AN ENGLISH CUBIST
WILLIAM ROBERTS:
Life Drawings
Illustration © The Estate of John David Roberts. Reproduced with the permission of the William Roberts Society. Catalogue information based on the catalogue raisonné by David Cleall. For this and full details of the exhibitions cited, see the links below. Any auction prices quoted may not include all fees and taxes, such as VAT and Artist's Resale Right charges.
Life Class, 1973
Pencil and watercolour, 36 cm x 46.5 cm
From 1925 to 1960 Roberts taught a life class at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. During that time he made many life drawings, some of which he kept and some of which were kept by his students (the latter group including drawings made on the edge of students' own work, as here). Most of these drawings are undated (and unsigned), and difficult to date with any accuracy. Where dates are given below, these are based on the dates at which Roberts's students acquired them from his class.
'The drawings of the nude figure by Mr. William Roberts are interesting as showing that the tubular convention of this artist is not due to incapacity to draw the forms of nature.' – The Times, 26 November 1926
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'William Roberts didn't say very much . . . He drew slowly but unhesitatingly. His beautifully controlled contours and carefully graded tones were miraculous to watch. Usually he would draw just part of a model (a shoulder, or a knee) but once he did a complete drawing for me of a model seated on the floor, leaning back on her supporting arms, with one leg stretched out in front of her. It's a lovely drawing which I still treasure, but at the time it worried me because I didn't think it was like the model.'
Margaret Till, in Sylvia Backemeyer (ed.), Making Their Mark – Art, Craft and Design at the Central School 1896–1966 (London: Herbert Press, 2000)
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Female life study, face, c.1929–30. Pencil
Female life study, full length, standing on one leg. Pencil
Female life study, with hand on head, c.1929–30. Pencil
Female life study, with hand raised, c.1929–30
Female life study, head, shoulder and arm, c.1929–30. Pencil
Female life study, leaning. Pencil
Female life study, in profile on padded seat. Pencil
Female life study, reading a newspaper. Pencil
Female life study, sitting, c.1929–30. Pencil
Female life study, sitting, 1946–7? Pencil
Female life study, sitting. Pencil and watercolour
Female life study, sitting. Pencil
Female life study, sitting. Pencil
Female life study, sitting. Pencil
Female life study, sitting. Pencil
Female life study, sitting. Pencil and watercolour
Female life study, sitting (incomplete). Pencil
Female life study, sitting on a chair, c.1929–30. Pencil
Female life study, sitting on the floor, in profile. Pencil
Female life study, sitting on the floor, propped on arms, c.1926
Female life study, sitting on the floor, propped on arms, one knee bent, 1937
Female life study, sitting, with hands on seat. Pencil
Female life study, sitting, three-quarter front, upper body, 1927–8
Female life study, sitting, three-quarter rear view. Pencil
Female life study, standing, 1946–7. Pencil and yellow wash
Female life study, standing. Pencil
Female life study, standing. Pencil
Female life study, standing. Pencil
Female life study, standing, full length, balancing on one foot, c.1928. Pencil and wash
Female life study, standing, full length, playing a flute, c.1928. Pencil and wash
Female life study, standing, pointing. Pencil
Female life study, standing, with wristwatch. Pencil
Female life study, upper body, c.1929–30. Pencil
Female life study, upper body, in profile, c.1929–30. Pencil
Female and male life studies in shared mount. Pencil on paper (two sheets, torn)
Life study, legs, c.1930. Pencil
Male life study, bearded, sitting, c.1929–30. Pencil
Male life study, black, sitting, with raised arm. Pencil
Male life study, black, sitting, front view. Pencil
Male life study, sitting, with crinkly hair. Pencil
Male life study, sitting, with interlaced fingers. Pencil
Male life study, sitting, with leg extended. Pencil
Male life study, sitting, with propped arm. Pencil
Male life study, standing, 1940. Pencil
Male life study, standing, with flute. Pencil
Male life study, standing, with pole, c.1929–30. Pencil
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