Study for "The Knatchbull Family": Norton Joseph Knatchbull
Original title: Study for "The Knatchbull Family": Norton Joseph Knatchbull
kurzbeschreibung
Made between 1800 and 1802, this preparatory drawing by John Singleton Copley belongs to his work on the family portrait of the Knatchbulls. It shows Norton Joseph Knatchbull standing upright, and served as the immediate groundwork for the larger group picture.
Description
A young man stands erect, wearing a long-sleeved buttoned coat and breeches fitted at the waist. His left hand rests in his pocket while the right is slightly raised, a confident pose. Numbers mark the background along a grid, a reminder that this is a working design. Fine contours and shading, drawn out through the interplay of black and white chalk, structure the image in tones of grey.
Context
Copley prepared this study for the large group portrait of the Knatchbull family, painted in England around 1800. The sitter is Norton Joseph Knatchbull, a son of Sir Edward Knatchbull, a British baronet. Copley was known for his careful preliminary studies of complex compositions. The finished painting is in a private collection today, while the drawing is kept at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Impact
The clarity and precision of the drawing bring the sitter's posture to the fore. The dark paper, together with the light heightening, gives the figure a sculptural presence. The viewer gains an intimate look into Copley's working method.
Technique
Black chalk, white-chalk heightening, and graphite on dark blue laid paper were used here. Copley applied the white chalk deliberately to work out lighting effects and volume. The dark paper serves as a middle tone, giving the drawing a particular depth.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)