Head of a Girl
Maker
Joseph Edward Southall
(British, 1861 - 1944)
Additional Title(s)
- Head of a girl
- Portrait head of a girl
Collections
ClassificationsDRAWINGS
Date1899
Mediummetal point on paper prepared with white ground
Dimensions7 7/8 × 7 in. (20 × 17.8 cm.)
frame: 13 × 12 3/8 × 1 1/2 in. (33 × 31.4 × 3.8 cm.)
DescriptionDepiction of a young woman's head and shoulders, with long wavy hair, and downcast eyes.
Signedsigned with monogram
Inscribedsigned with monogram
Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. Purchased with funds from the Schweppe Art Acquisition Fund
Label TextMetalpoint drawings such as this one require a skilled hand and concentrated effort. They are typically made on a sheet of paper that has been prepared with a ground. Southall made his own white ground by hand, creating a smooth surface that allowed him to use a metal stylus to produce a carefully controlled line. This drawing reveals Southall’s ability to capture both the physical appearance and inner character of this unknown woman. The downward tilt of her head and her faraway gaze, heightened by the light reflected in her eyes and the shadow on her brow, lend the image an air of introspection (2022).Status
Not on viewObject number2001.19
William Blake
1807
Object number: 000.7
